Shubert now has gender neutral bathrooms

This is good. This is a win.

I know there's a sign like that in the August Wilson, but I can't remember if it's true of all Jujamcyn theaters.

Also, I'm assuming most theaters have at least one single stall bathroom? (They're often meant for people using wheelchairs, but it could also be good for non-binary folks depending on what they're comfortable with).

Anyway, glad to hear about the new sign.

I heard this was happening, but since that was months ago I forgot about it. It will eventually roll out to all the Shubert houses.

***EDIT

It should be noted that businesses in New York are required to allow people to use restrooms (and other single sex facilities) that conform to their gender identity (However, they are also required to "make clear" that "they can be used by people of all genders." Presumably this is why the signs are being installed. For anyone uncomfortable with "sharing" a bathroom with someone of nonconforming gender, business are permitted to offer alternatives to the complainant (such as use of a single occupancy facility). It would be unlawful for the business to suggest the alternative to the person of nonconforming gender in response to the complaint.

Updated On: 1/22/20 at 05:15 AM

The Al Hirschfeld has these signs as well.

Updated On: 1/23/20 at 09:56 AM

Notreally gender neutral as theystill say mens and womens on them but yay for the sign. They have them at Jagged Little Pill and Frozen too. As someone who is non binary I appreciate not getting questioned no matter which bathroom i use."

Regarding the fact that they still have the men and women signs: Strangely enough, this is part of an outdated law on the books for theaters in New York. It was enacted long ago, because many theaters had their women's restrooms located in a place where one would have to exit the theater in order to use it. So even in the cold, there would be a line outside the building of women b/c that restroom had an outside entrance. Eventually a law was put in place dictating that theaters must have indoor space for both men and women's room so as to treat everyone equally.

The theater I worked for discovered this during a renovation. The original reno plan included one large gender neutral restroom with many individual floor to ceiling stalls. However we found out that this old law required us to have a men and women restroom. So we could only have a specific gender neutral one if we were to build a third restroom, which there was no room for. The law would probably be pretty easy to fight and be changed (it was great for it's time, but no one has bothered to change it as times have changed), but many theater organizations dont have the funds or times to take on that legal battle. So my theater, like many others, still have men and women restrooms, but they are accompanied by signs stating that they support patrons using whichever space aligns with their gender identity.

uncageg said: "Where are they at the Hirschfield? I was just in there last night."

When we saw Moulin Rouge in November, a sign was on the wall outside the (ostensible) men's room on the second floor.

Good to know. Looks like from now on I'll be "identifying" as whatever gender has the shorter bathroom line.

JSquared2 said: "Good to know. Looks like from now on I'll be "identifying" as whatever gender has the shorter bathroom line.

"

That's really not what it's for. It's for people like me who is not male or female and not comfortable in either bathroom. Having these signs up means if I get harassed or questioned I can say something to someone.

I wouldn't mind who was using any of them, I just wish there were more! (I know it's never going to happen). Seeing To Kill a Mockingbird I was lucky to get to the balcony restrooms pretty quickly and didn't have to queue, but nearer the end of the intermission the queue was practically down to the Mezzanine!

(It was also worrying that the gaps at each side of the door are so big you can wave to people waiting outside, although this seems to be pretty common in the US so perhaps bothers you all less!)

Also, I'm assuming most theaters have at least one single stall bathroom? (They're often meant for people using wheelchairs, but it could also be good for non-binary folks depending on what they're comfortable with).

."

Most, but not all & the Shubert happens to be one of the theaters that does NOT have a single stall accessible restroom on premises (Golden, O'Neill, Cort are others that lack that accessibility as well)

It's pretty common in parts of Europe to have bathrooms like that, where it isn't gendered at all and there's just a bunch of stalls and sinks. There's also many restaurants here that just have a bunch of stalls (with doors that actually go all the way to the sides/floor) with a row of sinks outside. Personally, I'm a fan of NYTW's bathroom signs, which just tell you what equipment is in the bathroom (i.e. stalls vs stalls and urinals). Gendering restrooms is such a silly concept anyway, so I'm glad the commercial theatre owners are at least trying to be more inclusive.