The Ministry of Environment today said it is to invest NT$280 million (US$8.76 million) over the next four years to double the number of gender-neutral public bathrooms nationwide.
The ministry held a news conference announcing the project to increase the number of gender-neutral bathroom facilities between next year and 2029 from 623 to 1,246.
About 13,000 transgender and gender-neutral people contributed to the Gender Equality Committee’s survey on LGBTQ+ issues last year.
Photo: Chen Chia-yi, Taipei Times
Of those who reported experiencing discrimination or fraught situations, 17 percent occurred in public restrooms or changing rooms.
The ministry last year released guidelines for creating friendlier restroom facilities for families and disabled people, which includes lighting, emergency button and other requirements, Environmental Management Administration Director-General Yen Hsu-ming (顏旭明) said.
Yet there are also gender inequalities in restrooms, Yen said.
For example, women often need to line up while there is no wait for the men’s room, while others experience discomfort when accompanying a person of another gender requiring care into a restroom, he said.
Creating gender-neutral restrooms would also respect gender diversity and provide a safe and dignified bathroom environment for all, he added.
There are currently about 44,000 public restrooms under government management, Yen said.
Localities would be given funding to either renovate or build new facilities in suitable locations such as markets and transport stations, he said, adding that funding would not be available for private entities.
According to the ministry’s public restroom satisfaction survey last year, about 69 percent of respondents said they have no problem with gender-neutral facilities, Yen said.
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