Despite numerous diversity and inclusion campaigns, using a restroom in a public space is still a cause of concern for members of the ‘third gender’ and intersex people. There are instances when transgender individuals are seen standing outside women’s washrooms at malls, wondering if they can use it. It’s quite nightmarish for trans employees, who are always on the go, as they get yelled at for entering a public toilet. While local authorities have long been entrusted with the task of ensuring the safety and dignity of LGBTQIA+ individuals in public places, a closer look into their day-to-day circumstances paints a rather grim picture.Interestingly enough, private institutions have made some progress in this regard. Corporate offices, co-working spaces and even some colleges in Bengaluru now have unisex restrooms that have been included as part of their LGBTQIA+-friendly policies.At a time when we talk so much about Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, building gender-neutral restrooms should be a top priority, says Varun Hemachandran, of The Bohemian House, a gender-inclusive co-working space in the city. “But having said that, it shouldn’t be the responsibility of government agencies alone. In an IT hub like Bengaluru, the private sector has a bigger role to play to ensure that offices are well-equipped for employees of every gender. They should be proactive in executing policies and set the right example for smaller companies to follow,” he explains.According to Vieshaka L Dutta, India Lead for Inclusion and Diversity at Publicis Sapient and Co-Lead at Working With Pride, progressive organisations in the city have gender-neutral washrooms in their offices, having creatively transformed the restrooms that were originally built for differently-abled people to make them accessible to all, while some even have gender-agnostic spaces. “But such practices need to catch up more. It is just not right if people are still hesitating to use a basic facility at a public place because of their gender orientation. This is about dignity and respect for all. We need all public spaces as well as government buildings to adopt inclusive practices,” she says.“When compared with what the government has done over the years in ensuring gender-neutral restrooms in public places, the private sector has performed better, of course. But companies still need to go a long way. The logical chain of thought seems to be missing here. Many organisations are aspiring to become inclusive as far as manpower is concerned, but not so much with regard to providing them the infrastructure to be a part of the firm; their offices are still not fully equipped to employ individuals from the ‘third gender’,” says Pallavi Pareek, the founder of Ungender, a city-based advisory firm.“Discussions are taking place and assessments are being made to ensure that gender-neutral toilets are built in public places across Bengaluru. We are in the process of upgrading existing restrooms and creating new ones, particularly in the city’s commercial neighbourhoods, to ensure safety and privacy of transgender individuals, especially the lower strata,” says Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner (solid waste management), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.In 2017, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation had taken an inclusive measure for the welfare of the transgender community. It allowed trans individuals across the country to use washrooms of their choice. This law also made questioning their choice of gender a punishable offence.