Google User Maps Safe Bathrooms in North Carolina

In the wake of Governor Pat McCrory signing HB2 into law in North Carolina, a Google user has created a “Safe Bathrooms” map that uses toilet paper icons to designate bathrooms that are safe for trans and gender non-conforming people in the state to use.

We’ve been following the events surrounding the passage of North Carolina’s anti-trans bathroom bill, since the state’s GOP called a special session last week just to get the bill passed and signed by Governor McCrory. Here is what the law entails:

“The new legislation strips the private right of action from the the state’s existing anti-discrimination statutes (gutting remedies for victims of race, gender, and other forms of discrimination). It precludes municipalities from passing local anti-discrimination ordinances that are more protective than the state’s existing laws. (So much for the GOP’s supposed concern for local autonomy!) And it bans trans students from using school restrooms in accordance with their gender identities (in violation of federal law).”

In its singling out of LGBTQ people, this law is completely unconstitutional and violates their civil rights under Title IX, which is why North Carolina is currently being sued. In addition to being illegal, the law is rooted in hatred, ignorance, and debunked myths about rape that criminalize and marginalize trans people, especially trans women.

This laws violates trans people’s basic right to pee. So to combat that, Google user: emilyrwaggoner has created an awesome “Safe Bathrooms” map. Using toilet paper icons, the map pinpoints the exact location of “Businesses in North Carolina who have stated publicly that their bathrooms are safe for trans and gender non-conforming folks under HB2.” The user encourages other businesses to reach out in order to be added to the map, but not before they publicly state in the form of gender inclusive signs, public social media posts, mission statements, etc. that they support the rights of LGBTQ under this harmful law. This is a powerful strategy to hold allies accountable in the face of discrimination and oppression, which is particularly needed in North Carolina where allies have not “shown up” in the way that they did in Georgia to intervene on an anti-LGBTQ religious freedom bill earlier this week.