On June 1st, OSHA released its guidelines on bathroom access for transgendered employees; the guidelines also included institutions that are open to the public, specifically mentioning museums in addition to other examples. You can read a summary of their guidelines, including suggestions for employer policy changes here.
For many small house museums where only one gender-neutral bathroom is available, the new guidelines are not problematic. It is the larger institutions that have the traditional male/female restrooms that need to revise their restroom policies not only for employees but for visitors. The guidelines state that a transgendered person must be allowed to use the bathroom of the gender with which he/she identifies without restrictions such a person having to “prove” his or she is transgendered or other similar questions.
And for those who are considering ignoring OSHA’s guidelines, remember that OSHA has the authority to level fines against those who do not comply with their guidelines.
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