ADA Sign Depot Blog — Restroom Bathroom ADA Signs

Among those who cringe at the idea is Cheryl Bowlan, 69, who is moving from California to Portland, Ore., and will be driving the 12 hours with her husband. With all the planning and packing, she only recently realized she would have to use the public rest stops along the freeway. It left her just a little panicked.

"I woke up early one morning and all of a sudden, ding, it occurred to me. Ick! Nasty!!" she recalled. "There are hundreds of people going through there every day, and I didn't want to do that."

Experts say such fears are well-founded.

“It really does take moms working together to lift each other up and help each other out,” Stevens says. “I’m just so happy that I could be a small piece of that. Obviously it started with one or two notes, but hundreds of other moms have joined in.”

A federal judge in North Carolina approved a settlement on Tuesday that prohibits the state government from banning transgender people from using bathrooms in state buildings that match their gender identity, ending a yearslong legal battle that prompted a divisive cultural debate.

“The mark of H.B. 2 remains,” said Chase Strangio, a staff attorney with the A.C.L.U.’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and H.I.V. Project, which is involved in the case. “It’s not a full win. But it’s still a huge win for a community that has faced so much discrimination.”

How to Use a Public Restroom and Not Get Sick 

The odds of becoming ill from using a public bathroom are slim. But there are a few things you can do to minimize your risk even more. Here’s what to keep in mind.

A 2017 poll done conducted by NPR and other organizations found that the majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans say they have experienced violence, threats or harassment because of their sexuality or gender identity.