The policy will cover more than 4 million federal employees and any visitors to the almost 10,000 buildings under the control of the federal agency, including federal courthouses, Social Security offices, and more.
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The rule in the “Federal Register” of regulations will open up thousands of bathrooms in federally operated buildings to employees and visitors who claim on any given day to be “transgender” members of the opposite sex.
GSA spokeswoman Ashley Nash-Hahn said the goal of the bulletin is to make it clear “that an individual can use whichever restroom matches their gender identity”. The notice pertains to the approximately 9,000 buildings and offices under the GSA.
Destin Cramer and Noah Rice place a new sticker on the door at the ceremonial opening of a gender neutral bathroom at Nathan Hale high school, May 17 in Seattle.
A GSA official said that the publication of the notice is meant, “to clarify that discrimination on the basis of gender identity is prohibited as sex discrimination”.
The GSA manages day-to-day operations in federal buildings across the United States, including courthouses, the Social Security building, post offices, = and prisons. It doesn’t apply to the U.S. Capitol or to national parks because they aren’t under GSA control.
Nash-Hahn told Buzzfeed, “We wanted to make clear that a person can use facilities that match their gender identity, and we think that’s a good thing”.
“The federal notice also states: “.
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The issue of bathroom use by transgender people has been an issue this year following a directive from the Obama administration that advises public schools to allow students to use the bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity or risk losing federal funding.
