Map showing trans-friendly bathrooms launched after restrictive Idaho law
Trans Idaho residents have a new resource to find safe public restrooms (Getty Images)
Idaho LGBTQ+ advocates have launched a new online map identifying trans-inclusive bathrooms across the state after a sweeping new law restricted restroom access for transgender people.
Created by Trans Affirm, the “Idaho Inclusive Bathroom Map” highlights businesses and community spaces where people can safely use facilities that align with their gender identity, while also identifying locations that may not be welcoming. Most of the listed locations are single-stall, gender-neutral restrooms, and the organisation says the resource will continue to be updated as policies change.
The initiative comes after Idaho enacted HB 752 on 1 July, making it a crime to knowingly use certain bathrooms or changing facilities in government buildings and places of public accommodation if they do not align with a person’s sex assigned at birth.
A first conviction can carry a sentence of up to one year in jail, while a second offence within five years may be prosecuted as a felony. However, a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of the law’s enforcement on 16 June while a legal challenge brought by transgender Idahoans and backed by the ACLU moves through the courts.
“The Idaho Safe Bathroom List was created because our communities need practical tools, not just conversations,” Trans Affirm wrote. “We wanted to build a resource made by Idahoans, for Idahoans, that increases access to information, strengthens community knowledge sharing, and helps people feel more prepared when moving through public spaces.”
As Trans Affirm board member Scar Rulien explained to the Idaho Capital Sun on 9 July, requiring transgender people to use facilities that don’t match their gender identity can place them at risk, particularly for those who are visibly transitioning. While the law continues to face legal scrutiny, advocates hope the map will give transgender Idahoans greater support in navigating everyday life.
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