Vermont wants to make going to the bathroom easier for transgender people, particularly by normalizing gender-neutral bathrooms.

CNN reports Republican governor Phil Scott signed bill H.333 on Friday, May 11, which was introduced to the state’s general assembly last February.

The act provides all single-user bathrooms in public places, like schools and community centers — which also extends to some private businesses, including restaurants and store fronts — in the entire state to be gender-neutral.

The passing of this policy means traditional bathroom signs that indicate “male” or “female” are being tossed away, making life much easier for trans people to use the bathroom.

“Many trans and gender nonconforming people have limited access to bathrooms due to the harassment, violence, and threat of arrest they experience in both women’s and men’s bathrooms,” Ethan Lin, director of grassroots fundraising and communications of the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, told Teen Vogue. “Making gender-neutral bathrooms more widely available beyond single stalls ought to be the ultimate goal because being able to use bathrooms without the threat of violence or harassment is a human right, not a privilege.”

This recent policy only applies to “single-user toilet facility” — defined in the legislative text as a “toilet facility with no more than one water closet and one urinal with a locking mechanism controlled by the user” — or rather, one-person cans. It does not apply to multiple user stalls.

However, Rex Butt, interim executive director of the Pride Center of Vermont, stresses that, “Vermont law has listed public restroom accommodations as available to transgender people since 2007.” Currently, Vermont and 19 other states as well as the District of Columbia prohibit discrimination based on gender and sexuality.

In a way, the concept of a gender-neutral bathroom already exists when we’re talking about designated “family” restrooms. However, they weren’t necessarily made with the intention of trans inclusion — they were intended for parents with young child of the opposite gender and disabled people who need assistance from a caregiver of the opposite gender. And don’t forget the original gender-neutral bathrooms — the one(s) already in your home.

But the takeaway is important: This is a step in the right direction. Many LGBTQ activists, organizers, and advocates say that this legislation will make the way for even further progress.

“Not everyone falls into the category of ‘man’ or ‘woman,’ which is what makes gender-neutral restrooms such an important alternative for nonbinary, gender nonconforming, and trans folks looking for a safe space to literally just use the dang bathroom!” GLAAD campus ambassador C Mandler told Teen Vogue. “Gender-neutral restrooms are also necessary alternatives towards single-gender bathrooms for trans folks who don't feel comfortable or safe using public restrooms for fear of harassment from other bathroom-goers. When homicide rates for trans folks — specifically for trans women of color — climb higher each year, making sure someone has a safe place to pee, wash their hands, check their makeup, or do any other normal daily function is absolutely crucial when it comes to keeping trans people safe.”

“More and more young people are defying gender norms,” Eli Erlick, director of Trans Student Education Resources, told Teen Vogue. “According to a recent Pediatrics survey, nearly 3% of ninth and eleventh grade students identify as trans or gender nonconforming. However, we are still frequently harassed while using gendered restrooms. Bills like these will help alleviate some of this persecution while encouraging future laws to make our lives easier.”