NewsCalifornia News

Actions

California law requires gender-neutral area in some stores

Yvette Ibarra
Posted

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is the first state to require large department stores to display products like toys and toothbrushes in gender-neutral ways.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law Saturday. It does not outlaw traditional boys and girls sections at department stores.

Instead, it says large stores must also have a gender-neutral section. The section must display toys and childcare items, which include hygiene and teething products.

It does not apply to clothes.

The law only applies to retailers with more than 500 employees.

This is the third time Democrats in the state Legislature have tried to pass this law.

Many major retailers such as Target have already switched to gender-neutral displays and color schemes.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Wednesday

04/01/2026

Partly Cloudy

77° / 56°

3%

Thursday

04/02/2026

AM Clouds/PM Sun

71° / 46°

19%

Friday

04/03/2026

Partly Cloudy

78° / 52°

2%

Saturday

04/04/2026

Partly Cloudy

85° / 55°

0%

Sunday

04/05/2026

Mostly Sunny

88° / 58°

0%

Monday

04/06/2026

Partly Cloudy

84° / 57°

0%

Tuesday

04/07/2026

Sunny

82° / 56°

1%

Wednesday

04/08/2026

Mostly Sunny

79° / 56°

11%