Mayor Bill de Blasio signed an executive order on Monday that allows transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice at city facilities.
The order says people must have access to bathrooms consistent with their gender identity at places such as offices, parks, pools and recreation centers. No identification or proof of gender needs to be shown.
"We are the proud home of 25,000 transgender and gender-non-conforming New Yorkers," said de Blasio. "They are part of the fabric of life in this city."
Transgender advocates applauded the executive order. "This is not just about bathrooms," said Dru Levasseur, of Lambda Legal. "This is about human dignity."
However, not everyone cheered the order. One woman said she was concerned about the possibility of sexual predators gaining access to children in bathrooms.
"There's a lack of understanding and knowledge about transgender people across the country," said Levasseur. "Transgender women are women. Transgender men are men, and they need to have access to facilities just like every other human being."
It is a violation of city law for an employer, housing provider or public accommodations to deny a transgender person access to a bathroom.
De Blasio urged people to report discrimination to the New York City Commission on Human Rights.