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Hundreds of St. Louis County government bathrooms will no longer have 'male' or 'female' signage

There are about 300 single-stall bathrooms in county buildings and they are all in non-public spaces
Credit: AP
FILE - In this Aug. 23, 2007, file photo, a sign marks the entrance to a gender-neutral restroom at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vt. The Montana Supreme Court has ordered the attorney general to rewrite ballot language for an initiative that would require people to use public restrooms designated for their gender at birth. The court ruled Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017, in a challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, saying the language didn't include the initiative's specific definition of "sex" and was otherwise vague. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — All single-stall bathrooms inside St. Louis County government buildings will be gender neutral, under an order signed by the county executive this week.

“Employees and community members, including those who are gender fluid, gender expansive, nonbinary, transgender or cisgender, deserve to be respected without regard to gender identity or gender expression,” said St. Louis County Executive Sam Page in a news release.

There are about 300 single-stall bathrooms in the county buildings and they are all in non-public spaces, the release said. The signage will say "restroom."

Page added that having restrooms with "male" or "female" signage can "work to exclude some employees and community members" and that gender-neutral bathrooms would "ease the risk and distress some employees may face."

Council member Lisa Clancy requested the change.

“This is an important step in ensuring transgender and non-binary individuals feel affirmed and welcomed navigating and working in the buildings of County government,” Clancy said. “Our duty as elected officials is to ensure dignity and respect for all our residents and visitors, and I look forward to continuing to partner with community members and Dr. Page on issues that are important to the LGBTQ+ community.”

The issue of gender neutrality has become a topic of debate across the country, with lawmakers, private companies, educational institutions and even toy companies making adjustments.

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