Yelp has announced on its official blog that it will now help users identify businesses that offer a gender-neutral restroom to patrons — specifically a “locking, single-stall bathroom” that is “accessible to persons of any gender.”
The announcement proudly stated:
At Yelp we thrive on inclusion and acceptance, and we hope that our support for Gavin’s case and the addition of this new business attribute will help our friends in the LGBTQQIA community.
“This is one of the [first] times we’ve integrated any type of public policy or social stance into our products,” Rachel Williams, Yelp’s Head of Diversity and Inclusion, tells Mashable. “Conversations started to happen internally about how uncomfortable people are with what’s going on in the world today in our country with people’s civil liberties and rights. Our product team wanted to help out and get involved.”
The app will also be introducing the ability to search for businesses by the “Gender Neutral Restrooms” attribute, just as one might search for businesses that are wheelchair accessible or that offer happy hour. As with other categories, Yelp will depend on both business owners and patrons to help collect this information.
Get out there Denver, and let Yelp know which businesses’ bathrooms are welcoming to all gender identities.
