The White House shocks with first gender-neutral bathroom

As part of President Obama's movement to bring LGBT issues into the forefront, the White House now offers employees and guests a gender-neutral restroom. According to Politico, the restroom will be located in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The new gender-neutral bathroom comes just after Obama issued an executive order that bans discrimination against gay and transgender employees contracted with the federal government.

"The White House allows staff and guests to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity, which is in keeping with the administration's existing legal guidance on this issue and consistent with what is required by the executive order that took effect today for federal contractors," explained White House spokesman Jeff Tiller.

The new restroom will provide guests and staff with an additional option.

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In recent years, Obama has continuously been trying to "elevated the concerns of gay and lesbian Americans to a level of moral urgency similar to that of the most prominent civil rights issues on the national agenda," according to Politico.

He openly talked about the struggles of gay Americans during the 50th anniversary of civil rights march in Selma, Alabama. Obama was also the first president to use the word "transgender" in a prominent speech like the State of the Union.

"The president is determined to lead by example," White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett wrote in her op-ed in the LGBT issue-focused magazine, Advocate. "He has hired more openly LGBT Americans to serve in his administration than any other in history. And we have closely examined our internal policies on everything from benefits, to restroom access, to how we invite people to events, to ensure that everyone who enters this building feels safe and fully respected."

However, in the states of Arizona, Texas, Florida and Kentucky, Republican legislatures have worked on passing laws to restrict transgender public bathroom usage.

"It is heartening to see that, even if legislators in some states are attacking the dignity and humanity of

transgender and gender non-conforming people, at least the White House is still moving in the direction of dignity and common sense," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality to Politico.

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