ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced Tuesday that City Hall will soon have all-user restrooms, becoming the first government building in Florida to do so.
Dyer said during his State of the City address that the new, non-gender-specific bathrooms are currently under construction at the downtown City Hall building and are part of an effort to further build Orlando's inclusive community.
The city is calling the restrooms "all-user," and not gender neutral, because the specially designed bathrooms are meant to welcome people with disabilities, too. The city is still working on a sign for the door to best represent all groups.
Dyer said the restrooms "will increase accessibility for transgender people and those with disabilities."
George Wallace, with The LGBTQ Center in Orlando, said the community is lucky to have progressive leaders, like Dyer.
"I always tell people that Orlando is light years ahead of other cities of the same size," Wallace said.
According to a 2015 study by the National Center for Transgender Rights, more than half of transgender adults in the U.S. avoid using public restrooms for fear of discrimination.
Wallace said it's a safety issue for the transgender community.
"There have been times that people have been harassed while using the bathroom, so having a gender neutral bathroom is very important for safety," Wallace said.
And feeling safe is important for the trans community. This year, four transgender women have been murdered in Florida, including Sasha Garden in Orlando last month.
Before the announcement Tuesday, the city of Orlando's Collaborative Partnerships initiative held a town hall with the transgender community and others who feel discriminated against.
Felipe Rodriguez, manager of the Collaborative Partnerships initiative, said one of the key issues discussed at the town hall was inclusion.
"It's a big vision here to make sure everyone is included," he said.
"This is one way to make sure (no matter) what part of their transition they are in to feel safe and welcome in the restroom they decide to go in," Rodriguez said, adding that the big picture "is to be a city that leads the way in supporting people and their human rights."
The city won't be doing away with men's and women's bathrooms, but adding the new restrooms near the current facilities on the second floor of City Hall.
The new bathroom will have single stalls and a larger handicapped-accessible stall. Each stall door is designed for privacy and goes all the way down to the floor.
The restrooms are expected to be complete and open by the end of the month.