Early next summer people of all genders and all abilities will find a restroom made just for, well, everybody in Cal Anderson Park as part of a much needed overhaul of the notoriously filthy public facilities. While many will celebrate the clean-up, many more will celebrate the growing awareness around all-gender access.
Seattle’s Parks and Recreation Department finished a study in March about remodeling the restrooms for the transgender and gender nonconforming community, following a mayoral executive order based on a recommendation from the city’s LGBTQ Task Force.
“It’s a wide variety of people that use the restroom, and we want them all to feel safe and welcome,” said Cheryl Eastberg, project coordinator with the parks department.
Those working on the study spoke with the transgender community and different groups throughout Seattle as well as other cities to reach a recommendation to remodel the multi-stall gendered restrooms into four separate direct-entry restrooms with sinks and toilets that also meet ADA requirements.
“I think the most interesting thing was how excited people were about the legislation and that something was happening,” said Adam Young, of Young Architecture LLC, who prepared the report. “It was a really big deal to that community.”
The study considered five options (PDF) for the Cal Anderson Park restrooms. Now that the city is in the design phase, the department expects to do more public outreach and education and provide the community with more opportunities to comment on the project.
As warped as the pushback sometimes has become, the fight for better awareness around all-gender access issues and restrooms has been strong enough for the topic to make regular headlines and is a regular go-to for talk radio and the ilk. In 2015, Seattle began its process to put legislation in place to require all single-occupancy restrooms in the city to be available as all-gender facilities. The awareness has grown to the point that an all-gender restroom is now a feature proudly touted by new Capitol Hill bars and restaurants.
According to the Cal Anderson study, research shows transgender and gender nonconforming people face harassment, verbal attacks, crime and violence in gendered restrooms; semi-private space increases stress; and segregated restrooms make it difficult to participate in society.
However, there is no clear solution for how to improve the situation, Eastberg said.
Some of the best solutions found in other cities include employing an attendant, direct entry restrooms and increased use and visibility of bathrooms, according to the report.
SPD has been part of the review process. This image from the report illustrates nighttime activities in the women’s restroom
A part-time attendant has been stationed at the restroom throughout the summer, which Rachael Brister, board member with the Cal Anderson Park Alliance, said has been helpful.
Brister said CAPA, which aims to create and support safe park activities and events, was consulted about the study after it was released.
“To me any change they make to the bathrooms, I think, is going to be positive,” Brister said.
But one of the biggest challenges she sees moving forward with the project is the lack of understanding about why the restrooms are being redone, which is to make them safer and more inclusive for the transgender and gender nonconforming people.
Seattle Police also reviewed the proposals for safety and enforcement compatibility.
Eastberg said the direct-entry restrooms should also benefit other users such as people who have a caregiver of a different gender or mothers with sons or fathers with daughters.
“Having (the restrooms) all-gender are really great. They serve a multitude of situations,” Eastberg said.
Along with the remodeling of the restroom facility itself, other enhancements could take place as well to make the environment more welcoming, Eastberg said, such as improving exterior lighting and adding a water fountain and bike rack.
The parks department has a budget of $300,000 for design and construction.
The recommended option requires minimal exterior changes to the building and has the lowest estimated cost.
“We think this is going to serve the community well,” Eastberg said.
I’m all for all-gender restrooms, but isn’t this change going to make it easier for drug addicts to shoot up in the privacy of their own space? And for homeless people to just lock the door and camp out there for awhile?
I agree with your points Bob. I’ve used that restroom many times and the stall is often occupied by someone who looks like they’ve moved in. Without the pressure of a visible queue, folks may make the new private stall their home basically leaving the park without any restrooms.
The proposed layout makes it difficult for an attendant to monitor all the doors to know who’s coming and going as well as the length of their stays.
I imagine this will also serve as a convenient place for people to “hook up” in privacy.
This already happens, Bob.
Sounds like another Seattle solution that ends in creating more problems.
I think that the city’s heart is in the right place. However, considering the riff raff that hangs out at Cal Anderson, I doubt any bathroom solution could solve that problem.
The city’s heart is almost always in the right place, but the consequences are often less than desirable. I’m afraid this will be one of those times. What were they thinking?
Private bathrooms with locking doors, in Cal Anderson? Are you kidding? I give it about a day before each of these has a mattress and permanent resident barricaded inside.
I will look forward to your comment on this post about a day after the new bathrooms open confirming that each of them has a mattress and a permanent resident barricaded inside.
Micro hotels is what they should be called! Or private bath house for ,well you know. I wonder if the mayor will be using one?