West Hollywood City Council unanimously approved a zone text amendment that will require all multi-stall restroom facilities in new development and major remodels in commercial spaces to be gender-neutral. Staff will conduct more community engagement before addressing public parks and other city facilities.
Despite some worries in the public regarding safety conditions of floor-to-ceiling stalls, particularly in public places like Plummer Park, the councilmembers were eager to finalize the plan that had been in the works for a year and a half.
“Has anyone been assaulted or sexually assaulted in our current generation throughout the city?” Councilmember John Erickson quizzed Planning and Development Services Director John Keho. “I don’t recall ever hearing of a sexual assault in their multi-stall, gender-nature bathrooms, for example, at Stache.”
“You are right,” Keho said. “Statistics show that the act of violence in these multi-stall gender-neutral bathrooms is extremely low and very rare.”
Mayor Pro Tem Sepi Shyne and Erickson pointed out that their original intent in proposing the plan was that it would apply not only to new developments but to major renovations of commercial lease properties, a tenet which had been removed at some point by city staff. Shyne used the Abbey as an example to clarify her wishes.
“The Abbey did a major renovation,” Shyne said. “They changed their bathrooms. So if this was in effect, they would need to create multi-stall gender neutral bathrooms. That was our intention.”
Keho said Council could proceed with a vote while staff returned to the Planning Commission to get their approval on that particular point.
“So if somebody signed a lease two years ago and but they haven’t started construction, do they have to follow this ordinance?” Mayor Lauren Meister asked.
Yes, according to city staff.
“I think there are fairly clear and good reasons to do this, and I think that’s a smart way to proceed,” Councilmember John D’Amico said before making a motion to approve the item.
The ordinance goes into effect Jan. 1. City staff couldn’t estimate how many businesses in West Hollywood might be affected by the ordinance, however, they will be providing guidelines for the design and installations of the new restrooms.
Public commenter Annie Jump Vicente pointed out the irony that the bathrooms in council chambers and the West Hollywood library are not yet gender-netural.
“If we are expressing the concern for new businesses, why haven’t governmental buildings already installed gender-neutral bathrooms?” Vicente said.
VP Harris refused to prosecute 100s of No Calif Roman Catholic priests when she was DA in San Francisco and later as Cal Attorney General. The SF Roman Catholic archdiocese lawyers backed Harris against the current DA (a Catholic), who was ready to prosecute the priests. Harris won and sealed all the charges against the pedophile clergy. Guess what? A number of the perverted priest moved to LA and even WEHO. They are on the sexual offender lists. I bet they can’t wait to use the “closeted” toilets and prey upon little boys in the WEHO parks and swimming pool.… Read more »
I’m just going to wait for all you yahoos who will try to explain away the inexplicable rise in sex crimes.
It’s completely lost on them that they were elected to represent the people of the city, not push their cute little agendas. Erickson is a disgrace.
Here’s an idea: How about polling the customers of restaurants and bars over a 6-month period to find out how the patrons feel about this idea?
New Mayor Dictator Sepi Shyne, of backward WOKE fame, is anti urinals. To get even with the Shyne Erickson toilet obsession, don’t lift the toilet seat urination will be a major problem for women, who were totally ignored by the Shyne toilet dictatorship and face dripping on the toilet seat. You can’t make this stuff up.
Everybody knows men are pigs so the more passive-aggressive of us may use this opportunity to make a point!
Statistically speaking men’s bathrooms are cleaner than women’s…
I’m all in for pissing them off!
This should be interesting!!! LOL!!! Who is going to pay for the extra staff to keep the restrooms clean? The old problem: toilet seat up or down! I can hear the complaints already!
Is the city going to publish an illustrated manual to inform residents and tourists where to go and what to do? This seems a moronic idea.
Truly evil. Hurts women and girls. Real people don’t care if transgender folks are comfortable in public restrooms–it’s a non-issue.
West Hollywood appears to have become the City of Disruption for the sake of disruption.
Ridiculous priority’s most gay men use women’s bathrooms anyway
Important question: Which commission will Annie Jump Vicente be appointed to?
Although I am personally in favor of all bathrooms being open to anyone, this is the reason most of America hates us. If people truly want to be fair to all, and not be accused of discrimination, eliminate separate Men’s and separate Women’s bathrooms. Also eliminate all urinals, everyone goes in a stall. It’s fair to everyone. When you have to go bad enough, you won’t care who is in the next stall.
Eliminate all urinals? That is crazy. So, let’s just make wait times even longer for everyone, regardless of gender identity. Women take longer to do their business, and have to use a stall. Men can come in and out quickly, especially because of urinals. My female friends use the men’s room at concert venues such as the Hollywood Bowl and the Greek Theater, and I don’t blame them for it. There is always a long line of people waiting at the women’s room, while people using the men’s room are in and out, quickly. Not to mention that for every… Read more »
I’m glad I can educate you. If you want to be truly fair to all, everyone needs to use a stall. You know how at theater events, at intermission, half the women are still waiting in line to use the rest room, while all the men are comfortably seated, seeing the second act. But it’s not fair to women, is it. We need to spend some money, and build more bathrooms with stalls. Urinals are like having separate water drinking fountains: racists prefer separate fountains, as sexists prefer urinals. We can all learn to use stalls, cause it’s fair to… Read more »
It’s not. And it’s ridiculous.
EXACTLY, do not eliminate urinals. Possibly privacy paneling would be more wise. LINES are horrendous outside women’s restrooms. This is going to cause chaos!
Eliminate urinals. Hahahahaha. C’mon man, you’re just taking the p**s as they say in Europe, right? Until we have bathrooms with only stalls, America will never be equal. That should be written on the flag.
WHO is going to be cleaning toilet seats when the guy’s aim is not so great? NOT HIM FOR SURE!. Most toilets are not even flushed!!!! I foresee a nightmare! The restrooms are going to require a full time attendant like in many countries.
Why not just single restrooms with lockable doors like so many places already have???
That doesn’t work for businesses with high volume, such as the Abbey. And probably most night clubs and concert venues, even small ones. Or busy restaurants, such as Bottega Louie. Businesses that have single restrooms with lockable doors are already legally required to mark them as “gender neutral,” I believe.
LOL!!!!! Where are the folks going to go to do their drugs!!!!