ON A ROLL: Hoboken to Expand Gender-Neutral Ordinance to All Public and Private Single-Occupancy Bathrooms

It appears Hoboken is prepared to move beyond the, “two restrooms in City Hall,” that were to be affected by the previous announcement that all city-owned single occupancy restrooms would be declared gender neutral.

Hoboken Mayor Ravinder S. Bhalla will introduce an ordinance today requiring all public and private single-occupancy restrooms in the City of Hoboken to be gender-neutral, expanding on the City’s commitment to the LGBTQ+ community.

Single-occupancy bathrooms are just that—bathrooms that are meant to be occupied by one person at a time. City-owned and business-owned restrooms with multiple stalls do not currently fall under the executive order.

If passed by the City Council on May 2, existing businesses and other affected entities will have 60 days from the effective date to comply by replacing “gender-specific signage” with “gender-neutral signage.”  Any new businesses and establishments are expected comply immediately upon opening to the public.

Hoboken is set to be the first city in the state of New Jersey to pass such a law.

“This is a chance for Hoboken to lead the state and the country in affirming the civil rights and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Bhalla. “Frankly, this is a no-brainer, and I hope the Council will do the right thing and pass this ordinance unanimously. From here, let’s continue to identify ways in which our community can be more supportive of our LGBTQ+ residents and visitors.”

As for those two bathrooms in Hoboken City Hall, they are still scheduled to have restroom signs changed by May 31—in time for LGBT Pride Month.