EQUALITY
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Though the statistics of violence against transgender and gender-queer individuals are disproportionately high in the US (a 2013 report notes that 72% of all hate violence homicides were against trans gender individuals) and show no signs of declining, trans and queer rights continue to be systematically undermined by national laws, codes, and standards that are vestigial regulations from a more provincial and exclusionary history. The ICC building code that sets the standards for all commercial, institutional, and residential buildings in the majority of states across the US has codified sex,gender, and ability discrimination in its plumbing code. It sets the number of fixtures that must be provided for females and males in each building type and occupancy and offers no parallel alternative to the prescriptive mandate. Unraveling the complexity of our communities' relationships to identity and equality will not come quickly nor easily, but the real threat to "non-conforming" individuals renders inaction unfeasible. The Flock and Ply team has partnered with our fellow citizens (with leadership from Bruce Pitts) to create the alternative bathroom layouts featured below. They are a starting point in a conversation that is sure to garner criticism but will, hopefully, provide a vocabulary that all community members can use to carry the conversation further. * it's a project that has a lot of room to grow - information on accurate comparative cost data, code interpretation, and location specificity, are welcomed! |
Individual Toilet Rooms |
Full Partition Stalls with Shared Lavatories
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