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Toronto police open gender-neutral washroom at headquarters

Xinhua, June 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Toronto Police Service has opened a gender-neutral washroom at its downtown headquarters that will be open to any person regardless of their gender identity, Toronto police said Wednesday.

Located on the second floor at 40 College Street in Toronto, the new facility is available starting June 22 to coincide with Toronto Police Service's annual Pride reception.

Marked with a sign displaying all gender symbols, the washroom can be used by people of any gender expression and identity from Toronto police and members of the public.

"It's on the second floor because we want it to be accessible to community members," said Staff Sergeant Shane Branton, who played a key role in getting the project off the ground. "It's for our internal and external members and we want to show that we have a safe and inclusive space for everyone."

Constable Danielle Bottineau, Toronto police's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) liaison officer, said the launch of the public washroom is a step in the right direction.

"Historically, we have not had the best of relationships with that community. We are still working on mending bridges not only with the gay community, but, specifically, the trans community where they still don't have all the same human rights as the majority of us do in society," said Bottineau.

"We want to show we are an inclusive Service and we are welcoming regardless of your gender identity and gender expression."

At Toronto police's annual Pride reception later Wednesday afternoon, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders is expected to apologize for the 1981 bathhouse raids, which saw 160 officers arrest 286 men, an event that helped galvanize Toronto's LGBT community, but also left a rift between the community and police.

"This new initiative gives us an opportunity of understanding the importance of the issues of today. It's also symbolic of how we, as a Service, has progressed when you look back 35 years with the bath house raids," said Saunders.

"Today, we have so much more of an understanding and appreciation of the LGBTQ community and we are continuously working harder to strengthen the relationship. That's the right thing to do."

It's not the first institution in Toronto to include a gender-neutral washroom. The Royal Ontario Museum opened several late last year, and the Toronto District School Board is rolling out similar washrooms in schools across the city. Endit