Gender-neutral bathrooms could be part of all future buildings or remodeling on campus if a Student Government Association resolution passes.
“Transgender and other non-conforming students are often victims of discrimination, discomfort and violence when using a gender-specific restroom,” the resolution reads.
Carli Hendershot, resolution author and SGA senator, said she wanted bathrooms to be added during remodeling as well. But a building’s construction should not be solely for the purpose of adding the
bathrooms.
“It’s hard to take a building that already exists and add or change a restroom to gender-neutral,” she said.
Hendershot said Kevin Kenyon, associate vice president of facilities, said the proposal is possible for future buildings.
She said Noyer Complex, LaFollette Complex and the Atrium have open gender-neutral bathrooms while Studebaker West Complex has some that are locked.
The resolution is intended to help non gender-conforming students, caretakers and nursing mothers.
“Currently, there are not many [gender-neutral bathrooms] on campus,” Hendershot said. “This creates a pretty difficult time for mothers to nurse their children in privacy and for caretakers with a patient of another sex. They feel like they would be more comfortable in a gender-neutral restroom.”
The resolution will be brought to the SGA Senate again Wednesday for a second reading.
Other universities have made headway in gender-neutral bathrooms, including New York University and Ohio University, according to a University of Massachusetts Amherst study.
Philadelphia also required that all new or renovated city buildings include gender-neutral restrooms.
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