Metro Weekly

Beyoncé Made Her Tour Restrooms Gender Neutral

The Queen is not being shy about her LGBTQ support, as all the bathrooms at Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour are gender-neutral.

Signs posted outside the bathrooms at Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour (twitter.com)
Signs posted outside the bathrooms at Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour (twitter.com)

Beyoncé’s long-awaited and highly-anticipated Renaissance World Tour officially launched Wednesday night, May 10, and the superstar had a surprise for those in attendance, one that underlines how she’s a longtime ally of the LGBTQ community.

Fans who attended the show in Stockholm, Sweden observed a difference in the venue’s bathrooms, which had been made more inclusive by Beyoncé’s team.

A DIY sign reading “Gender Neutral Restroom” had been attached to the walls with duct tape, concealing the usual gender-specific signs, and making all of them appropriate for anyone.

It’s not clear if the singer okayed this change with venue operators or if she and her associates simply went for it.

Photos of the black and white signs were shared on Twitter by those who made it to the first concert.

They quickly went viral with her LGBTQ fans, but not everyone noticed them, as there was so much to take in.

Clips and snaps from the show took over social media instantly, and those who love the singer rushed to see what was in store for them on the Renaissance World Tour.

Should this policy be enacted at all of Beyoncé’s concerts on the Renaissance World Tour, it may end up causing some controversy.

This may be particularly true at shows in certain cities across the U.S., as the trek will visit many states that have recently implemented laws and policies forbidding gender-affirming care for individuals under 18 years old and essentially forbid them from using the bathroom that fits their gender identity.

Some who see this change online – or even parents who take their children – may have an issue with the move. 

However, that’s not likely to change Beyoncé’s mind. The Grammy winner has long been a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ community, and especially of those who identify as trans or gender nonconforming. 

Beyoncé took to her official website in 2016 to show support for those opposing non-inclusive laws in North Carolina that mandated individuals to use bathrooms according to their biological sex.

She has also gone out of her way to post on social media and lend her fame and resources to various causes that better the lives of LGBTQ individuals throughout her career.

Her most recent album Renaissance pulls its inspiration directly from not just the LGBTQ community, but from the art created by black trans women years ago. Its dance and disco influences directly connect to that bit of history, and she even thanked the queer community as she accepted a Grammy – the trophy that helped her become the most-awarded artist ever, no less.

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