Golden One-Gender Bathrooms

Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center will be the first arena of its size to open with all-gender bathrooms. The $557 million venue will feature 23 “single-occupancy” restrooms that are being called “all gender.”

The 17,500-capacity arena also includes 54 multiple-occupancy restrooms, which are still labeled by gender, but which a team spokesman told the Sacramento Bee guests should feel free to use according to whichever they identify with. “We set out to build the most connected and forward-thinking arena in the world because we wanted to ensure the very best fan experience for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said in a statement.

LGBT advocates have praised the NBA’s Kings, who play at the arena, and venue management for the decision to support “inclusive” bathrooms.

“This is the first time a team … has really taken into account the transgender community, the gender non-conforming community, making sure that space is welcoming for everyone,” Jo Michael of Equality California told KCRA-3. “To know that space is open to them and welcomes them is something that I think will really encourage people [to feel safe].”

Conservative groups like SaveCalifornia expressed frustration. “This is confusing children,” the organizations’ president Randy Thomasson said. “This is saying ‘Hey, sexual anarchy. You can call yourself any gender you want’ without telling children the health risks of those decisions.”