Massachusetts lawmaker leads call for single occupancy gender neutral bathrooms

WASHINGTON, D.C./BOSTON, MA/NEW YORK, NY – Wednesday, Assistant Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Katherine Clark (MA-5) and Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8) led a letter to Zoe Lofgren, Chair of the Committee on House Administration, urging the Committee to support efforts to install single occupancy restrooms in the House of Representatives and the Capitol.

“All employees, interns, and visitors should have access to safe and comfortable restrooms. For members of the transgender, gender nonconforming and disability communities, that often means the availability of single stall or single-occupancy restrooms. As lawmakers, we can more effectively represent our constituents when our staff and interns reflect the diversity of the American people. However, absent improvements, we in Congress are limiting our ability to hire and retain individuals who belong to these communities,” wrote Clark and Jeffries.

“While other federal buildings have improved accessibility to single-use restrooms, more work remains to be done in the House of Representatives and the Capitol. As such, we ask for further examination of this issue and for your facilitation in installing additional restroom facilities to better accommodate those who work or seek to work in the House of Representatives.”

“The LGBT Congressional Staff Association is proud to stand with Assistant Speaker Clark, Democratic Caucus Chair Jeffries, and Chairwoman Lofgren in calling on Congress to install gender-neutral bathrooms within the Capitol complex,” said John A. Martin, President of the LGBT Congressional Staff Association. “As an organization that seeks to improve the experience of our transgender and gender non-conforming members, we are keenly aware that the existence of these spaces is critical to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all Hill staffers. We deeply appreciate the Members’ leadership on this issue, and we look forward to partnering with them to make gender-neutral bathrooms a reality on the Hill.”