Illinois law makes all single-occupancy restrooms gender-neutral

Illinois enacted a law that makes all one-person public bathrooms gender-neutral.

It prohibits signs designating a gender for such accommodations. All such facilities must comply with the law by January 1, 2020.

The legislator who sponsored the bill says that it will benefit individuals who don’t identify as male or female, as well as parents and caregivers who have dependents of the opposite sex. The measure was passed amid fights over expanded rights for transgender people in Illinois and around the nation.

For example, one Illinois community has experienced a controversy over whether transgender students should be allowed to use the locker room that corresponds with their gender identity.