Recently, I was asked to create a set of icons that represented age and gender. I started with the classic AIGA restroom symbols.
The age brackets I was asked to come up with were pretty standard: 0-12, 13-19, 20-37, 38-63 & 64+. Assuming the AIGA icons represent the 20-37 year old group, the task was to rework them until they represented each of the other age categories. Every icon needed to work within the set, but also on it's own. For example, a smaller version of the standard icons wouldn't do a good job representing a child. You'd probably get the idea if you saw it next to an adult icon, but separately it just looks small. Anyway, I came up with a fairly functional set.
This project got me thinking about those original AIGA restroom symbols. They work really well in a world where gender is binary and iconography can leverage classic stereotypes. Politics aside, many people don't view their gender in these terms. The standard solution for depicting gender neutrality is to cut the classic symbols in half and stick one side from each version together. This modified symbol is often used for gender neutral restrooms.
Depicting gender neutrality is important, but maybe depicting the variation within each gender is important too. Especially where restrooms divide people into binary gender groups. A person with male genitals may identify as female, how can a sign on a door make her feel welcomed in the "Ladies room"? A person with female genitals may identify as asexual, which room is appropriate for them? The LGBT community has a symbol that represents transgender people. Combining this symbol with the AIGA stick figures could express inclusiveness & neutrality. When placed side by side the modified figures still depict gender neutrality, but without the Glen or Glenda connotations of the split & joined symbol. Could these figures could help people feel comfortable enough to choose a restroom that best matches their gender identity? Probably not.
These symbols are becoming awfully complex for bathroom signage and there is a fair chance that many people won't understand the icons. Not only that, the more complex and "inclusive" the symbols become, the more obvious it is that groups have been left out. To me, both versions feel antiquated. Like when your liberal uncle starts talking about legalizing weed. If we're really going to adopt gender neutrality, maybe there's a better solution. A simpler solution. Maybe a pictogram on a bathroom door isn't the right place to depict another human being's sexuality.
Maybe the sign on the door should just represent what's on the other side.
One door leads to larger room for sitting down and the other to a smaller room for standing up.