Gender-Neutral Signs and Spaces

Conversations about gender-neutral signs and spaces seemed to dominate the news this week. Multiple articles continue to discuss the proposed California bill about gender-neutral kids sections in stores. This proposed law would only apply to department stores with 500 or more employees. Articles discussed that if stores fail to comply with gender-neutral children sections, they can be fined $1,000. The assembly member who drafted this bill stated,  “Rather than having a separate boy’s or girl’s section, let’s just have a kid’s section. And that’s what the conversation is about. Let’s make sure that we remove the kind of stigma, the type of bullying that we still see, especially in this day and age.”

Plans for a large installation of gender-neutral change rooms at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre has recently been met with some concerns. The Committee for Change Room Choice presented a petition at city council requesting them to change their decision. Meanwhile, unisex toilets in Devonport, Australia will be assigned gender-neutral signs by this June. Playgrounds in Israel will now have gender-neutral signage posted at them stating children must be accompanied by an adult. Previously, the sign had a female/mother figure, but will now be replaced with “an adult without skirt or identifiable gender”. Two young girls in Indiana confronted their city council about the gender specific language on “Men at Work” signs and called for the need for gender-neutral signs. The city council made a resolution to enforce gender-neutral signage for city construction projects. 

One article highlighted a new gender-neutral salon in Wilmington, North Carolina. The owner stated, “We decided that we wanted to be a gender-neutral salon to provide non-discriminatory prices for people. And also just a safer place, so that they can feel comfortable without having to identify that for us based on the services they receive. I definitely wanted to have a safer place in the community that everyone could feel welcomed and also just allow them to express themselves and allow them to feel good without having to tell us anything that we don’t need to know, besides how they want to wear their hair.” The Washington Football Team is replacing its cheerleading squad with a gender-neutral dance team. The coach of this new dance squad stated, “Fans can expect an experience like none other – a gender-neutral and diverse squad of athletes and dancers whose choreography, costumes, props, tricks and stunts will rival the best entertainment across genres, and really inspire and ‘wow’ our fans.”