To reflect our deep commitment to inclusion, equity and accessibility, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is updating signage for all public single-stall washrooms at Victoria, Children’s and University hospitals to be inclusive of all gender identities and to include braille.
“Everyone has the right to use a washroom based on their lived gender identity and expression,” said Jill Sangha, Director, Office of Inclusion and Social Accountability. “For some transgender and gender diverse people, accessing a safe washroom can be a significant barrier due to gender monitoring and fear of harassment or even harm.”
LHSC’s Office of Inclusion and Social Accountability has partnered with the Facilities Capital Planning team to address this barrier. The new signage will begin to be installed for single-stall washrooms in December 2023 and will display washroom symbols that identify what is available in the space, rather than who can use it.
“We will be upgrading washroom plaques that appear outside the washrooms and directional signage for 340 single-stall washrooms,” noted Matt Keast, Director, Capital Planning at LHSC. “In addition to being inclusive of all gender identities, the use of braille and universal symbols may also address language and literacy barriers created by text-only signage."
The updated signage will be a new standard for single-stall washrooms at LHSC.
“Every member of Team LHSC and the communities we serve deserves to feel welcome, safe and accepted within and beyond our walls,” said Dr. Kevin Chan, Acting President and CEO. “We are committed to making our spaces inclusive, welcoming and accessible, and we recognize this is only one step in a long road forward.”