Summary: This petition advocates for the inclusion of separate men’s and women’s restrooms in the upcoming remodel of the Los Altos Library. The proposed design includes two family restrooms and one all-gender restroom containing nine fully enclosed floor-to-ceiling stalls (with toilets only) on one side and four sinks on the other. Eliminating the current gender-specific restrooms in favor of a single, shared space raises significant concerns about privacy, hygiene, and safety—particularly for women and children. In addition to signing this petition, please share it with 3-5 people that you know. Thank you for your support!

A. Why Sign this Petition and Add Comments Now

We are calling on the Los Altos Library Commission, Los Altos City Council, and Los Altos Hills City Council to reconsider the proposed restroom plans. There is a limited window to submit public feedback. By signing this petition and adding your comments, you can help ensure that the voices of parents, children, and concerned community members are heard.

B. Who Is Affected

All Los Altos Library patrons will be impacted by this decision, but the effects will be most strongly felt by women, girls, and families.

Non-Los Altos Library patrons could also be impacted. What happens in Los Altos can set a precedent for other towns to change their bathrooms as well. Already, Cupertino Library has non-gendered bathrooms.

The proposed design eliminates the existing gender-specific restrooms, which many community members believe are essential for comfort and safety.

C. What's At Stake: Comfort, Privacy, Safety, Hygiene, and Inclusivity

1. Comfort, Privacy and Safety for All

Many women and girls feel uncomfortable sharing restroom spaces with men, especially in isolated or low-traffic areas. Young girls using the restroom alone are particularly vulnerable. There have been real situations about lack of privacy and safety raised in nearby bathroom facilities such as Palo Alto’s Cubberley Community Center. https://abc7news.com/palo-alto-police-bathroom-cubberley-community-center-woman/517987/

There is also concern that men could be unfairly scrutinized or accused of inappropriate behavior simply by occupying the same shared space.

Fully enclosed stalls may be used for unintended and harmful activities, such as self-harm, drug use, or sexual assault.

A deeply concerning and entirely preventable situation is a woman or child inadvertently walking in on a man using the restroom, or vice versa, due to a faulty lock or an accidentally unlocked door. Incidents like these not only create distress and discomfort for those involved but also raise serious concerns about public safety and the library's duty to provide secure, respectful facilities for all patrons. Preventing such scenarios is essential to maintaining community trust and upholding basic standards of dignity and privacy.

2. Strain on Family Restrooms
Family restrooms are intended for caregivers with young children, individuals with disabilities, or others who need additional privacy. If uncomfortable patrons avoid the all-gender restroom and default to using family restrooms, it may lead to overcrowding and limit access for those who genuinely need them.

3. Cleanliness, Health and Maintenance Issues
Men’s bathrooms are dirtier than women’s as a general rule. Shared stalls could result in less hygienic conditions than women typically experience in gender-specific restrooms, especially because men are used to using urinals rather than toilets. This could negatively affect user satisfaction and increase cleaning burdens.

In 2024 at Palo Alto's Hoover Elementary, many females suffered when they had non-gendered bathrooms because they felt uncomfortable. They experienced unhygienic conditions with urine on toilet seats and avoided using the restrooms at school, raising health concerns. After parent advocacy, the school reinstated separate restrooms, which restored both comfort and hygiene.

Petition that helped Hoover Elementary Parents in Palo Alto Win Bathroom Fight

Palo Alto Daily Post article on Parents Winning Bathroom Fight at Hoover Elementary

Megyn Kelly Show coverage of Palo Alto Hoover story (start at 1 hr mark) and Megyn Kelly news article

4. Urinals are an important part of men's bathrooms.

Urinals are a key component of men’s restrooms, as many men prefer using them. They offer greater water and space efficiency and can enhance overall hygiene by reducing the need to touch door handles or locks. Importantly, increased urinal use also helps keep toilet stalls cleaner by minimizing urine on seats and floors.

D. Responses to Common Arguments in Favor of Non-Gendered Bathrooms:

Inclusivity: Inclusivity should not come at the cost of the comfort and safety of the majority. Those who do not mind a gender-neutral option can use the family restrooms, which already provide a private, inclusive solution that accommodates everyone's needs.

Parental Supervision: While some fathers may prefer to stay near their daughters, shared restrooms can create discomfort for others. Family restrooms are designed to support parental needs without compromising privacy for all patrons. 

E. Legal and Institutional Precedents

Legal Perspective: “Sex-separated bathrooms and shielding one’s body from the opposite sex has been widely recognized throughout American history. The protection of students’ privacy… is an important governmental objective—particularly where school-age children are still developing, both emotionally and physically.” (RumbergerKirk Law, Jan. 2024, “In the Case of Public School Bathrooms: Separate Is Equal”)

Common Practice: The majority of Fortune 500 companies and major Bay Area universities offer separate men's and women’s restrooms. Eliminating gender-specific restrooms would make Los Altos Library a stark outlier without compelling justification.

Conclusion

Maintaining separate men's and women's restrooms, alongside family restrooms, represents a balanced and inclusive solution that respects privacy and safety. We respectfully urge the Los Altos Library Commission and City Councils to revise the proposed designs to include these essential facilities. Let’s ensure that all library patrons continue to feel safe and comfortable.