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Gender-Inclusive Restrooms Unveiled At UC Berkeley

BERKELEY (CBS SF) -- New, gender neutral restrooms were unveiled at the University of California at Berkeley.

The new gender-inclusive bathrooms -- comprised of eight fully enclosed stalls -- are located on the first floor of Evans Hall on the Cal campus, university officials said Monday.

UC Berkeley officials said that while gender-inclusive restrooms are now available in over 40 campus buildings, they will also be part of all new buildings and significant renovation projects on campus.

UC Berkeley's unveiling of more gender-inclusive facilities comes at a time when the issue is front and center on the national stage.

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will hear Gloucester County School Board v. GG, a petition from the School Board of Gloucester County, Va., seeking to overturn a lower court's order granting 17-year-old Gavin Grimm the right to use the boys' restroom at the high school.

Grimm, who is biologically female but identifies as male, has argued that the school's policy qualifies as sex discrimination.

Back at UC Berkeley, officials maintain that there are still hurdles at Cal, noting that many state and federal codes have not changed and that renovations to existing structures can't violate codes in order to bring gender-inclusive facilities to campus.

To make the new restrooms easier to find, UC Berkeley has a made a website featuring an online map of campus facilities.

"The campus is committed to providing comfortable and accessible restrooms for everyone's use," said Emily Marthinsen, an assistant vice chancellor and campus architect.

By Hannah Albarazi - Follow her on Twitter: @hannahalbarazi.

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