Fact check: False claim LAX installing urinals in women's bathroom

BrieAnna J. Frank, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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The claim: LAX is installing urinals in women’s restrooms

A Feb. 4 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) included a video that showed taped-off urinals in what is supposedly the women's restroom. In the video, the camera shows a blue sign for the women's bathroom, pans around to the taped-off urinals, then to a woman with a piece of luggage and then back to the out-of-use urinals.

"LAX is installing urinals in the women's bathrooms," reads the post. It was liked more than 4,000 times in six days.

Another version of the claim received more than 70,000 likes before it was deleted. The claim also circulated widely on Facebook and Twitter.

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Our rating: False

A spokesperson for the airport said the video shows a men’s restroom that was temporarily converted to a women’s restroom during a major renovation project.

Temporary conversion to women's restroom part of major renovation

The video shows a men's restroom that was temporarily converted to a women's restroom, said Heath Montgomery, a spokesperson for Los Angeles World Airports.

A multi-billion dollar renovation project underway at the airport occasionally leads to the closure or conversion of restrooms, such as the one seen in the video.

“These restrooms are always appropriately signed on the exterior for the current designated use,” Montgomery said.

The airport gave a similar statement on Twitter, directing users to the Los Angeles World Airports website for more information about the ongoing renovations.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1194 into law in September 2022, which allows local governments to require that new or significantly renovated buildings have multi-stall gender-neutral restrooms.

The airport opened an all-gender restroom in Terminal 1, in 2018. The restroom includes an adult changing table for use by senior guests or those with disabilities, according to a news release.

USA TODAY reached out to users who shared the claim for comment.

The Associated Press also debunked the claim.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Men's restrooms temporarily converted to women's at LAX