ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg is undergoing changes to make the city even more inclusive by updating its bathroom signage, which is typically shown as “male” and “female.”

Starting in March, the city of St. Petersburg will change the labeling of all city-owned single-use bathrooms in city facilities to say “all-gender restroom,” to be more inclusive for the LGBTQ-plus community.

It comes after Mayor Ken Welch signed an executive policy in September that would make all the city’s 164 restrooms “all-gender.”

“I don’t see the changing of a bathroom label making that big of a difference at all, period,” said John Miller, who is very involved in the St. Petersburg community, not only as a resident but also as an LGBTQ business owner.

He hasn’t experienced a change like this, but he does see how it could be helpful for the right person.

“If it’s something where people in the past have felt alienated against or something like that, if it makes them feel more ease to come out and feel their true selves, then great,” said Miller.

The city wants to make this change so individuals, including those who are transgender, feel safer. Places such as City Hall got a new bathroom label in 2017.

For Miller, he says the changes are similar to how restrooms are in Europe.

“I don’t see a big deal about it; they have been doing it in Europe where it’s non-gender for a long time," he said. "Same thing with dresser rooms, that kind of thing. It’s single use; it’s not going to be like a guy walking out of a stall when a girl is there. I guess I don’t see an issue with it.”

These changes were made well before St. Pete received a perfect score for LGBTQ plus inclusivity by the Human Rights Campaign’s Annual Municipal Equality Index. But the rule change came in too late to count.

This will also include single-use bathrooms at other places, including Tropicana Field and parks and recreation facilities.