Good Company in Cleveland, Ohio is a laid back eatery where you can grab a sandwich, an ice cream or a cocktail. But the state government recently threatened to revoke its liquor license unless it put a “men’s” and “women’s” signs on its gender neutral restrooms.
Vice reports, “According to the terms of the Ohio Liquor Control Commission, restaurants and bars must have ‘separate toilet facilities for men and women’ in order to have a liquor permit.”
The restrooms already had door symbols — one with a toilet and one with a toilet and urinal — making it clear which one would work for folks who want to pee standing up. But apparently that wasn’t enough.
The restaurant’s owner Jonah Oryszak, told Vice, “I thought that was using their own sort of antiquated system against them by being like, well, the state of Ohio is going to associate a urinal with men because you know, it’s backwards and stupid so that’ll be good enough.”
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When a state inspector came to see the restaurant’s newly installed patio, the inspector noticed the gender-neutral restrooms and threatened to revoke the establishment’s liquor license on the spot unless the owner added gendered signage immediately.
Adding gendered signage on restrooms is sometimes needless for small businesses because it creates unnecessary hurdle for any patrons who want to quickly use the toilet without waiting when there’s an empty but gendered restroom available. Gendered restroom signage also creates an extra hassle and potentially harassment for trans, genderqueer and non-binary patrons who don’t want others policing their appearance and toilet use.
Either way, Oryszak was forced to write a “M” and “W” on the restroom doors, lest he lose a major source of revenue for his business.
In a public Instagram post (above), Good Company wrote:
It saddens us to say that The State of Ohio has bullied us into putting genders on our restrooms at Good Company today. We fought it the best we could but ultimately they held our business hostage stating we wouldn’t be able to operate until we added an “M” and a “W” to the restroom doors. We even asked to see the law which says “restrooms available to both sexes.” To us that sounds like we were operating within the law as we had restrooms available for EVERYONE. We will move forward operating within the law as it currently is written but rest assured that we will be fighting this behind the scenes. In the meantime we obviously will not be enforcing this – use whatever facilities you choose! ?? ?? ? ????
The Ohio Department Of Commerce, which operates the state’s the liquor commission, claims that “The liquor permit was never in jeopardy of being ‘shut down,’” but their statement directly contradicted Oryszak’s experience.
Oryszak has since said that Jim Canepa, Ohio’s Superintendent of Liquor Control, contacted him, called the incident a misunderstanding and apologized.
In a more recent Instagram post, Oryszak wrote:
“Jim Canepa the Superintendent of the Liquor Department just called us to personally apologize for the restrooms. He said as far as he sees it we were complying with the law by having two available restrooms. As long as they are labeled as restrooms he doesn’t see the need to assign gender to them. Thank you for everyone’s support!”
Oryszak noted that right-wing commenters who typically crow over less government oversight and the right for businesses to refuse service to gay people supported his being forced to gender his restrooms.
Cam
Is this a joke?? You have two bathrooms that each hold 1 person and are lockable. So if one is occupied people can’t use the other ones because of some antiquated system stating that apparently men’s and women’s butts can’t touch the same toilet?
RIGay
I was raised in a house with one toilet. Yes, it was gender neutral. WHAT’S THE BIG F-ING DIFFERENCE?
Same rules apply: Flush when you’re done and put the damn seat down!
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Just another twisted abhorrent attack on our community. Because gender neutral bathrooms SOLVE the problem with gender fluid persons the right wing smcubags want to prevent any way to prevent bias…
DavidIntl
Am I the only male here who – while understanding the importance of these issues for the trans community – also finds it a bit annoying that we are increasingly heading toward one-person gender-neutral restrooms with just a toilet and no urinal. Urinals are far more efficient and sanitary for those who can use them, and I hate to see their demise. It is unquestionably “male privilege” that we don’t generally have to wait for the inefficient single-use room, or a stall in a large restroom – but we don’t really improve the world by just making it worse for one collective.
dwes09
Many bars and restaurants have men’s and women’s rooms with multiple toilets/urinals, and a M/F room with just one toilet. Serves those people who are pee-shy, as well as those who have gender issues.
We are not headed towards single person gender neutral bathrooms any more than we ever were, at least not in progressive or democratic states.
TimothyBeauchamp
My favorite hypocritical decision was a Christian business who discriminated against LGBTQ customers wanted a space at a flea market but were denied because the owners didn’t believe vendors should discriminate. Guess who wins? The Christian business was able to force their way in because their religious discrimination was given deference versus the flea markets belief discrimination shouldn’t be tolerated.
screwtop
Oh goodie! – when they extend this further, and apply this requirement to homes, offices, factories and public toilets, I’m moving to Ohio and setting up as a plumber.
I’ll be able to make a fortune, and retire to somewhere more civilised!
I’ve just come back from a trip to Europe, and half the time the toilets were unisex, wherever you went. It didn’t seem to freak women out, finding several urinals in “their” toilet. Nobody passed out discovering people of the “opposite sex” (whatever that means, these days) going into or out of the same toilet they were using. The world didn’t grind to a halt.
In fact, it was like using the toilet at home.
And if that strains the brains of Ohio’s liquor control commission, perhaps the people who work there should be sent off for “re-programming”, like in Brave New World.
CaptLilac
Longtime lurker, first time caller…just wanted to say this photo for the article is hilarious. It has me thinking, what position is this guy in that he has two feet against the wall and is pulling on TP like it’s Thor’s hammer? How did he end up like this? What is his story? Thank you Queerty, you’ve given me a lot to ponder tonight.