Nobody should feel unsafe in a restroom
In 2019, a 28-year-old transwoman, Gretchen Diez, made headlines when she was denied entry to a women’s restroom at a mall in Quezon City by a janitress. This encounter, which turned violent, was filmed by Diez. She described that she was “treated like a criminal” having been detained by cops and cuffed.
Discrimination is banned in Quezon City according to the Quezon City Gender-Fair Ordinance. Created in 2004, it prohibits discrimination against people’s sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE). Meanwhile, the Safe Spaces Act, signed in July 2019 by President Rodrigo Duterte, bans gender-based sexual harassment in all public spaces. Listed offenses include stalking, flashing and making misogynistic, transphobic and homophobic slurs. According to U.N. Women National Program Officer Charisse Manalo-Jordan, the said incident was a violation of the Safe Spaces Act.
“Whatever gender,” “gender equality,” “gender-neutral” or “unisex” toilets—whatever you want to call it, it all boils down to providing a safe, inclusive space for everyone. Nobody should live in fear upon using a public restroom. It also answers a number of concerns regarding health, safety and people with special needs.
Here are establishments in Manila (and beyond) with all-gender restrooms:
SM Supermalls
SM Supermalls will have all-gender restrooms in its malls starting November. pic.twitter.com/4okFUR1rvl
— Manila Bulletin News (@manilabulletin) October 11, 2019
Quezon City Hall
AT THE QUEZON CITY HALL: Gender neutral restrooms can be used by a person of any gender identity. | @MClaireLayug pic.twitter.com/NkafCRw62a
— GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) August 16, 2019
Ateneo de Manila University
READ: Memo from the Associate Dean for Student and Administrative Services on All-Gender Restrooms In the Loyola Schools pic.twitter.com/hxq5CjgECH
— Sanggunian (@admusanggu) March 23, 2018
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde
Resorts World Manila
resorts world manila has this restroom and i feel like every establishment should have this as well ??
(didn't get in bc someone was already using it–) pic.twitter.com/jqYLmNby3p
— misuke left ? (@kurosumamisuke) January 2, 2019
Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange
Ateneo De Davao
In the midst of the SOGIE bill dilemma and the Bathroom controversy.
we proudly say that we have this in a jesuit-catholic school
Thank You Ateneo De Davao! pic.twitter.com/egBSPFdNTa
— Kurt Jhaedal Lapating (@Jhaedal) September 5, 2019
RELATED: #Pride2019 Through the Lens of A First-Timer
More establishments plan on creating all-gender restrooms in the Philippines, and rightly so; we only hope that it will be soon.
Art Alexandra Lara