An "All Gender Toilet" sign is seen at a gate of Twin City Cafe on the Fangjia Alley in Beijing, capital of China, June 16, 2016. The Beijing Gender Health Education Institute launched the All Gender Toilets Program in Beijing recently in hope of helping the public disregard gender distinctions. (Xinhua/Wu Kaixiang)
Notions of identity are fluid, and yet we still have gender segregation, most notably in toilets. A Beijing health organization, however, wants to change attitudes toward sex and gender diversity and has designated "All Gender Toilets" across the city.
The Beijing Gender Health Education Institute launched the All Gender Toilets Program last month, there are now around 30 all gender toilets in cafes, bars, and offices across the city.
The sign depicts three figures; the traditional male and female silhouettes are joined by an individual in a half dress-half trousers ensemble.
All Gender Toilet project manager Yang Gang hopes the campaign will help the public disregard gender distinctions.
Yang explained how his friend had been made to feel uncomfortable last month while shopping in Xidan, a commercial street in downtown Beijing.
"He is male only in gender, but dresses as a woman," Yang said. "He walked into the male restroom but there were no free cubicles and he had to use the urinal."
That attracted other people's attention -- a man with long hair, in skirt making water." The public security officers threw him out so that he would not 'disturb' the other guests."
"My friend felt terribly insulted," Yang said.
Two Cities Cafe is one of the places that now has an all gender toilet. Its owner Kenta Yeh said that none of his customers were shocked by others in the cafe. "People are more accepting to people who are different."
UN Women and UN Development Program lauded the initiative, the first of its kind in China.
Yang Gang does not expect to change all toilets to switch to being gender neutral. The main aim of the All Gender Toilet Project is to encourage discussion. "We would be like to see a change in people's awareness, behavior, and opinions on sex and gender diversity," he said.
Next, Yang Gang and his team, will release a map with the locations of all the city's all gender toilets.
Yang Qingqing, a social anthropologist at Minzu University of China, said the project challenges traditional binary sex systems and creates space for all members of the society.
Li Yinhe, a sociologist and sexologist, called for the program to be rolled out nationwide.
"The project will help transgender people, who are a minority group in China," Li said. "It will go some way to securing transgender people the social recognition and respect they deserve."
The All Gender Toilet Project is not all about gender equality. It will also helps ease the problem of toilet allocation across the country.
In 2012, a sign at a KFC restaurant lavatory in east China's Zhejiang Province was put up telling female customers not to use the male restroom.
The staff explained that female consumers were using the male restroom because they could not find enough toilets elsewhere.
This prompted complaints from men who felt embarrassed seeing women in their restroom.
Also in 2012, several female undergraduates from universities in south China's Guangzhou City launched a "occupy men's toilets" movement, appealing for fair use of public latrines and more toilets for women.
According to Yang, the "All Gender Toilet" can do just that.
