Cottrell, Megan. “Libraries Move Toward Gender-Neutral Bathrooms.” American Libraries46.11/12 (2015): 16-17. Consumer Health Complete – EBSCOhost. Web. 21 Feb. 2016.

In this article, Megan Cottrell describe how public libraries are making a move towards gender-neutral bathrooms. Liberians everywhere work to ensure that their collection and programs offer members of their community a safe place, therefore some libraries today are including bathrooms that accommodate to the transgender or the gender nonconforming. Surveys show that transgender people often experience discrimination in restrooms, such as being stared at, ridiculed, told to leave, or not allowed to use the facilities; even physical violence or having the police called. The article gives an example of Portland Community College, Oregon’s largest post-secondary institution, who has taken on the issues of gender-neutral restrooms and has received a lot of positive feedback; both from the transgender community as well as other students who appreciate the privacy of 22 new all-gender bathrooms. While this is an issue for libraries building new spaces, others are figuring out ways to make patrons comfortable with their existing facilities, which also raises many different issues. Overall as society moves towards a more transgender accepting society, libraries need to serve those particular patron, have a safe place that welcomes them without judgment.

I chose this source because it further discusses gender-neutral bathrooms in a specific place, libraries. A flaw in this essay is that it provides a solution and evidence to gender-neutral bathrooms but only account for bathrooms in school libraries.