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Question:
What
have schools done to provide bathroom access to gender-variant
students?
Answer:
Overview
Because gender-variant people are often
subject to harassment and violence when using male- or female-specific
campus restrooms, some colleges are creating gender-free
or gender-neutral bathrooms typically single-stall, lockable
restrooms available to people of all genders in campus buildings
most frequented by students. For example, the student association
at San Diego State University passed a resolution in 2003
calling for the implementation of safe restrooms across campus
for transgender students. As a first step, the group approved
funds to change door signs and install door locks to convert
a set of male/female bathrooms in the student union into unisex
facilities. The location of all gender-neutral restrooms will
also be listed in the university s general catalog. At the
University of Chicago, a Queer Action Campaign led to the
creation of gender-free bathrooms in two major campus buildings
earlier this year.
A
number of college groups list gender-free restrooms on their
websites, including:
Resources
- People in Search of Safe Restrooms (PSSR):
www.pissr.org
- Sylvia Rivera Law Project: www.srlp.org/documents.html#bath
- University of California Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, Intersex Association web page on gender-free
restrooms: www.uclgbtia.org/restrooms.html
- University of Chicago s Gender-Neutral Bathrooms
Campaign: queeraction.uchicago.edu/bathroomindex.html
Developed
by Brett Beemyn, GLBT Student Services, Ohio State University:
beemyn.1@osu.edu
FAQ
Updated December 2004.
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