Gender-neutral washrooms popping up in Yellowknife

Some business owners in Yellowknife are trying to be more welcoming to the LGBTQ community with gender-neutral bathrooms at their establishments.

At the Copperhouse Eatery + Lounge in Yellowknife, a gender-neutral bathroom sits past the men and women's bathrooms.

• More than 100 people attend Inuvik, N.W.T.'s first Pride parade

• Yellowknife LGBTQ champion to be a grand marshal at Montreal Pride

The bathroom's sign includes the usual symbols for men and women's bathrooms, along with another symbol — a figure in half-skirt and half-pant leg, representing people who may not conform to traditional gender norms.

Co-owner Mark Henry said the sign and the bathroom are a way to make any gender non-conforming employees or customers feel comfortable.

"We knew there was a large transgender population here in Yellowknife," he said, adding that respect for LGBTQ people is something many locals "take pride in."

'Not just a statistic'

The issue of gender-neutral bathrooms has made international news in recent years.

In some U.S. states, Republicans have advanced bills that would force transgender people to use the bathroom associated with the gender assigned to them at birth. Meanwhile, advocates say transgender people should be able to use the washroom that best fits their gender identity.

• Trump administration revokes transgender washroom guidelines

• First transgender mayor in Texas 'concerned' about trans rights under Trump

Jake Flanagan, a non-binary queer activist who lives in Yellowknife, thinks the gender-neutral bathroom option is "a good sign for the future."

Flanagan identifies as non-binary, and uses the pronoun "they" instead of "he or she."

"I feel that it helps people whose gender does not fit into the standard masculine-male feminine-female binary — 'Hey, they actually thought about me in this design,'" said Flanagan. "I'm actually a person and not just a statistic or an afterthought."

Good for business

Copperhouse isn't the first to try gender-neutral or unisex bathrooms.

The Fat Fox, a Yellowknife café that closed in May, also went with that option.

Hey, they actually thought about me in this design.- Jake Flanagan

It was just more practical for the business, according to co-owner Emma Atkinson.

The building that housed the Fat Fox has two individual bathrooms without stalls.

"We removed the male/female signs and put them in between the washrooms to signify that anyone could use either one and put pictures of our cats on the doors instead," said Atkinson in a Facebook message.

She said making each of the bathrooms gender-neutral was also more inclusive, ensuring that "individuals who are transgender or gender non-conforming are not forced to make a choice that may make them uncomfortable."

• Mom of transgender girl once banned from female washroom reaches deal with Edmonton Catholic board

• Canada enacts protections for transgender community

After the café opened, they "formed good relationships" with groups like NWT Pride, said Atkinson.

"The subsequent relationships made us happy we had made the decision we did," she said.