Pride Action Tank marks four years of restroom equity campaign

CHICAGO, ILL. - By Michael Oboza, Special to GoPride.com

Pride Action Tank’s Community Renewal and Action Project, known as CRAP, celebrated its four-year anniversary at The Hideout Chicago. The event featured executive director Kim L. Hunt, senior manager of special projects Iana Amiscaray and Community Restroom Access Project co-chair August Hieber, alongside storytellers Lizzie M. and Jay Myers.

Pride Action Tank, an advocacy initiative founded in 2015 as a project of the AIDS Foundation Chicago, established the grassroots working group. CRAP aims to create safe, accessible and inclusive public restrooms for everyone. A major focus of the project is addressing the physical and psychological health risks that transgender and gender nonconforming communities face regarding public accommodations.

Amiscaray noted that CRAP, alongside community partners, successfully led the passage of the Equitable Restroom Access Law, which passed in 2019 and took effect Jan. 1, 2020. The law requires all single-occupancy restrooms in public accommodations and public buildings across Illinois to be gender-neutral. Amiscaray said this provides a safer, more affirming experience for transgender and gender nonconforming Illinoisans, parents with children of a different gender and seniors with caregivers of a different gender.

CRAP also led a 2023 amendment to the Equitable Restrooms Act. This amendment allows, but does not mandate, businesses to convert multi-occupancy restrooms into gender-neutral facilities, provided they include floor-to-ceiling locking dividers, menstruation products and ADA compliance.

Community leaders and advocates attended the celebration in solidarity. Among the guests were Timothy Jackson of the AIDS Foundation Chicago and José Che-Che Wilson, the director of civic engagement for Equality Illinois.

The Honorable Angelina Norstrom, an author, poet, advocate and original CRAP campaign member, was also in attendance. Norstrom said they came out to continue supporting CRAP and to learn about its advancements over the last few years.

The anniversary event featured personal stories highlighting the vital importance of safe public facilities. Lizzie M., a performer and storyteller, shared an experience from her career in the coating industry. After transitioning, she returned to the Merchandise Mart for the NeoCon expo with a cisgender friend.

Lizzie M. recalled feeling anxious about using the facilities until her friend led her into the women's restroom. Once inside the stall, she realized she belonged there, thinking that she was simply another woman in the restroom.

Writer and author Jay Myers shared a story about realizing his identity at age 3 in 1958, noticing the rigid gender stereotypes of the era and realizing his parents had it wrong because he was a boy.

Later in life, before his transition, Myers faced a confrontation right before a job interview when a man told him he did not believe Myers was a man. Myers used humor to defuse the situation, replying, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours. Here." He left the interview with a signed contract, later reflecting that people cannot hate you when they are laughing with you.

At the conclusion of the rally, Hunt thanked both storytellers and extended gratitude to The Hideout Chicago for hosting the event. Hunt also gave special recognition to Jackson, Wilson, Norstrom and original CRAP co-founding member Francesca Gaiba.