The LGBTQIA+ Community’s Plea To Urinate, Defecate & Menstruate With Peace, Dignity & Privacy. Sign the petition to build gender-neutral washrooms now. 

Public washrooms, the basic amenities for every human being are majorly divided into men’s and women’s; a segregation that a majority of the population is comfortable with. However, for a member of the LGBTQIA+ community with different gender identities, each visit to the public washroom is a reminder that their gender “doesn’t fit” in the society and triggers gender dysphoria- a feeling of unease and distress caused by the mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity. 

The idea of going to the toilet when you want to and exiting with a feeling of relief is a given for cis-gendered people. But meeting this basic human need is completely different for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Paras, a transgender man, whose story is just one of the narratives from the ever-growing transgender community of 4.88 lakhs in India, stresses the importance of gender-neutral washrooms. At the age of 18, in order to escape a life which did not accept them for who they are, they ran away from their sexually and mentally abusive home. They travelled across different states, in search of a place that feels like home and in these travels, public washrooms were their refuge for personal hygiene. But these washrooms which are separated as men’s and women’s were a constant reminder of how there’s still not a space for people with different gender identities. In their travels, Paras had to justify their entry to a women’s toilet at an airport by showing their Aadhar card. In another instance, when they felt comfortable in a men’s washroom, the inadequate infrastructure made it difficult and uncomfortable for them to menstruate.

While the idea of transgenders who menstruate is alien in our society, what adds to the community’s struggles is a lack of acceptance in public washrooms and a lack of proper infrastructure. Generally, the men’s washroom is dominated by urinals and the few stalls that exist, lack of toilet paper or dustbins to discard period products which makes it impossible for the trans community to menstruate privately and with dignity. We (on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ community) aren't asking for a washroom for the “third'' gender but a gender-neutral washroom that is all-inclusive. Siaan, a young non-binary artist, tells us how they use the women’s washroom as it’s a safer alternative to the men’s washroom and has more privacy and infrastructure that makes managing periods easier. They are vulnerable to uncomfortable stares, bullying, shame and prejudice in gendered washrooms. Maitrayanee a member of the queer community, confesses that in an ideal world everyone could enter everywhere while feeling comfortable and safe. But with concerns of safety for an already marginalised community, gender-neutral washrooms are the need of the hour. This petition encourages the creation of gender-neutral washrooms and supports the fact that each individual has distinctive sanitation needs and the right to manage bodily functions like urination, menstruation, defecation, etc with dignity and privacy. Sign the petition initiated by Lemme Be, a young menstruator's period care brand which urges the system to build gender-neutral washrooms in public spaces. Help Lemme Be create a better world for many people like Paras, Siaan and Maitrayanee who represent a community of menstruators, transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid, agender and individuals beyond the two-binary (male & female) identification. 

It’s time we create an inclusive space where each member of the community can say #LemmeRiseWithPride. Sign the petition now!