<div dir="ltr">Here's an answer I received from a person in the Trans Community who messaged me concerning this. It includes a comment directed towards a cis gendered person who had responded with a response more along the lines of the need to keep the Children's Room for children only, but there are other things to consider in the comment as well. <div><br></div><div>"<span style="color:rgb(55,62,77);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:15.36px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(254,254,254)">With the gender neutral bathroom at your [sic] library, I like that you guys are thinking along those lines at your library. I’ve been brainstorming on your signage issue for a few here and without any personal experience, all I have is thought experiments essentially. </span></div><span style="color:rgb(55,62,77);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:15.36px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(254,254,254)">
IF some sort of signage, then Kayla Kim does bring up a good point at an unfortunately interesting time. I think the sign should not have any reference to the gender neutral bathrooms being “in the children’s area”.
One option would be a general sign by the male & female bathrooms, “Questions or concerns? We’re here to help!”
But then if your aim is only really to accommodate nonbinary & gnc people, then a direct sign simply saying something like “ ___ ____ Library also has a gender neutral restroom available.” That’s not quite right, maybe a bit more concise would be better but yeah <br></span><div><span style="color:rgb(55,62,77);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:15.36px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(254,254,254)">____ ____ Library also has a gender neutral restroom available” -- was trying to think of a better word than “has” while avoiding words like “provides”. Anyway, I’d just avoid any words that suggest or imply special treatment or “accommodation” of any sort.</span><span style="color:rgb(55,62,77);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:15.36px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(254,254,254)">"</span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(55,62,77);font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:15.36px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(254,254,254)"><br></span></div><div><font color="#373e4d" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12px;line-height:15.36px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(254,254,254)">Just wanted to throw this out there for more consideration. </span></font></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div>David Adkins-Brown<br></div><a href="mailto:adkinsbr@usc.edu" target="_blank">adkinsbr@usc.edu</a><br></div><a href="mailto:greenlionrampant@gmail.com" target="_blank">greenlionrampant@gmail.com</a><br><br>"As my dear departed friend Lotus Weinstock used to say: "I used to wanna
change the world. Now I just wanna leave the room with a little
dignity." " - Justin Bond<br></div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, May 5, 2016 at 2:01 PM, Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kbrodbeck-kenney@lincolncity.org" target="_blank">kbrodbeck-kenney@lincolncity.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div style="font:10pt/normal Segoe UI;margin:16px 16px 4px;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal"><div><div>The restroom in the children's area is primarily used by children and their caregivers, although it's not restricted only to those folks. Our children's area is also not restricted to children & families. I had considered the potential for folks coming into the children's area who wouldn't normally, but since we haven't historically restricted that area or that restroom, I'm not sure I see too much of an issue; our large meeting room is at that end of the library, and thus people who are using that room often use the children's room restroom, for example.<br></div><span class=""><span style="padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;margin-bottom:5px;display:block"><span style="display:block"><br><span style="font-size:10pt;display:inline-block"><div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif">Kirsten</font> Brodbeck-Kenney, MLIS</font></font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">Library Director</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">Driftwood Public Library</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">801 SW Hwy 101, #201</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">Lincoln City, OR 97367</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2"><a href="tel:541-996-1251" value="+15419961251" target="_blank">541-996-1251</a> (desk)</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2"><a href="tel:541-996-1262" value="+15419961262" target="_blank">541-996-1262</a> (fax)</font></div>
<div><a href="http://www.driftwoodlib.org/" target="_blank"><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">www.driftwoodlib.org</font></a></div></div></span></span></span><span style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block"> </span></span><div><span>>>> Susanne Lohkamp <<a href="mailto:littlenel.lohkamp7@gmail.com" target="_blank">littlenel.lohkamp7@gmail.com</a>> 5/5/2016 2:53 PM >>><br></span><div><div class="h5"><div>
<div dir="ltr">Is the family bathroom available to children/parents/caregivers so that they don't have to leave the area to use the bathrooms in the 'adult' areas? If so, then you might think about whether you want other adults coming into the children's area who wouldn't normally do so.<div>I work in a large public library where the children's area- computers, ipads and bathrooms are reserved for children under 14 with their parents/caregivers. It might complicate the situation if you opened the bathrooms only up to all ages. </div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, May 5, 2016 at 11:36 AM, Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kbrodbeck-kenney@lincolncity.org" target="_blank">kbrodbeck-kenney@lincolncity.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid">
<div style="font:10pt/normal Segoe UI;margin:16px 16px 4px;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal"><div><div>In light of the controversy surrounding so-called "bathroom bills" in various states, I'm curious if any libraries currently have signage regarding the availability of gender neutral bathrooms, or are considering such signage?</div><div> </div><div>My library has the usual multi-stall men's and women's restrooms, but we also have a single occupancy family restroom at the other end of the building in the children's area. I'm trying to decide if it would make sense to post something informing folks who would be more comfortable using a gender neutral single-occupancy restroom that one is available. I'm thinking it could also include information about the availability of a changing table in that bathroom, since the main restrooms do not have a changing area.</div><div> </div><div>Any thoughts? Any particularly good wording you've used or seen?</div><span style="padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;margin-bottom:5px;display:block"><span style="display:block"><br><span style="font-size:10pt;display:inline-block"><div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif">Kirsten</font> Brodbeck-Kenney, MLIS</font></font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">Library Director</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">Driftwood Public Library</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">801 SW Hwy 101, #201</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">Lincoln City, OR 97367</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2"><a href="tel:541-996-1251" value="+15419961251" target="_blank">541-996-1251</a> (desk)</font></div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2"><a href="tel:541-996-1262" value="+15419961262" target="_blank">541-996-1262</a> (fax)</font></div>
<div><a href="http://www.driftwoodlib.org/" target="_blank"><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif" size="2">www.driftwoodlib.org</font></a></div></div></span></span></span><span style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block"> </span></div></div>
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