Members of Congress who’ve spent the year fighting over health-care have found an area on which to strike a bipartisan accord: bathrooms.
Democrats and Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee joined together on Thursday to introduce the “Potty Parity Act,” a bill
that would require future federal buildings to have a 1 to 1 ratio for
toilets in men’s and women’s restrooms. The mandate would also apply to
buildings leased by the government.
A lack of restrooms in government buildings constructed decades before women joined the federal workforce en masse has been known to
cause long lines for female staffers, explained the bill’s lead
sponsor, Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.). Some women
have suffered work-related problems and been fired as a result of their
inability to take the time necessary to address health or medical
concerns, he said.
“As the number of women in all sectors of employment and facets of American life continue to grow exponentially, the Potty Parity Act is
necessary not only for the advancement of gender parity, but also to
ensure the general well being and health care of women in our society.”
I’m surprised that they don’t go instead with a “Potty Disparity Act” requiring a minimum 2:1 ratio in favor of women considering the built-in disadvantage they have in use options.