If you are a resident of the Washington, DC metro area, you should definitely be familiar with the Trump-Era rule that states that all bathrooms in public facilities are required to have two nozzles. These nozzles must be kept open by a person other than the person who owns the property. These nozzles are required by the law and the Metro General Hospital District’s rules and regulations. If you own a home in the Washington, DC suburbs, you do not have to worry about this rule.
The Trump-Era rule is part of the Fair Access to Public Facilities Act or commonly referred to as FAPCA. This act was introduced in 1992. This was a requirement that was implemented by the previous administration. Although there are still a few people who support the idea of making all public bathrooms multi-stall and single-stall, the majority of the country now believes that this practice will create a dangerous situation in the American People’s bathrooms. Even though the majority of Americans do not feel that this practice goes far enough, they are all too happy to comply with this law.
Why are we being told that we should have two toilets in our bathrooms? Well, the reason is simple. The two toilets will relieve the strain from each person when using the bathroom. It will be easier for a woman who is five feet three inches tall to use the facilities in a three-stall bathroom compared to a person who is six feet tall using a two-stall bathroom. A study conducted in California, which used the F SAPCA definition, found that women of all heights were able to gain access to the most suitable bathroom for them by using the features provided by the multi-stall and single-stall bathrooms.
The Trump-Era rule encourages Americans to consider making their homes multi-stall and therefore, they should. Americans already spend much more time than they should in their bathrooms. If the government mandates that every home have at least one toilet and at least one shower, then Americans will finally begin to make use of the facilities provided in their bathrooms.
Many people will argue against the Trump-EEQ principle, arguing that it creates unevenness in bathrooms. This argument has some merit, especially because of how the F SAPCA definition of equality includes one toilet/shower for every two people. It is also true that having two toilets can make using the facilities in the bathroom more convenient. Having one toilet makes it possible for children of young ages to gain access to the bathroom without having to be supervised by an adult. Having two toilets can also allow an elderly person to gain access to the bathroom independently.
Americans have been fighting for years to ensure that all Americans have access to quality bathrooms and that no one is discriminated against due to their physical disabilities or abilities. The Trump EEQ policy does just that. The rule of thumb is that if you cannot have two toilets per bathroom in your house, then the multi-stall rule should apply.
Americans who are fighting for the F SAPCA equality rule include disabled individuals who wish to share the bathrooms with other disabled individuals. In order for this to happen, the facilities must be fully accessible. Amenities like grab bars, ramps, low-rise toilet stalls, and handicap showers may be necessary in order for disabled individuals to gain access to the bathroom. It is also important for the handicap showers to be fully enclosed in order for them to provide proper ADA protection.
Many people do not realize that the Trump-EEQ policy violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Fair Access Act bans sex discrimination in the workplace and allows people with disabilities to utilize the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity. As long as the restrooms are fully accessible, then the law does not require two toilets for each bathroom. Americans with disabilities have a right to use the restroom of their choosing, including one that corresponds with their gender identity. Under the Obama administration, Americans with disabilities have the right to be fully included in all American cities’ public restrooms. By making two toilets per bathroom rule a rule, the government is not discriminating against the disabled community.
