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The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    Gender neutral bathrooms debated as a need for students

    The issue of sex discrimination has been gaining momentum in the media. The federal government, as well as state and local governments, have been passing new laws and regulations to protect the transgender population.

    A topic among sex discrimination discussions has been the shift to gender-neutral bathrooms. Gender-neutral bathrooms would allow transgender students at the university to feel safe and comfortable. 

    StandOUT, an organization on campus dedicated to improving the quality of life for all, is especially committed to working towards the goal of getting gender-neutral bathrooms to create a safer environment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community.

    StandOUT believes the cause for gender-neutral bathrooms is needed due to the fact that there are a lot more transgender students than most people think.

    “The transgender population is not as small as people think,” said president of StandOUT Gabrielle Filiberto. “Some students might be scared to come out and say that they are transgender or might still be in the gender identification process.”

    There are many ways to make the transition to gender-neutral bathrooms available to the university. Some of these ways require funding while others have a relatively low cost.

    Assistant sociology professor Dr. Marc Settembrino believes that the switch to gender-neutral bathrooms could be a very easy process.

    “The switch to gender neutral bathrooms could be as simple as putting up signs that say, ‘Gender Neutral’ to replace old ones,” said Settembrino.

    The university would have a few decisions to make if the time comes when gender-neutral bathrooms are a possibility on campus. All bathrooms on campus could be transformed into gender-neutral bathrooms or a portion of the bathrooms on campus could be designated as gender-neutral. 

    Although the shift to gender-neutral bathrooms could be a very simple process, assistant psychology professor Dr. Sara Sohr-Preston believes it would have to be a slow transition because the idea is still so new to most universities, especially those located in Louisiana. 

    “[Gender-neutral bathrooms] would be a new concept to students on campus, we would have to start off with some bathrooms being designated as gender-neutral,” said Sohr-Preston. “We would not be able to designate all bathrooms as gender-neutral all at once, but once the initial change was made, I think students would respond positively.” 

    The transgender population would not be the only people that would benefit from gender-neutral bathrooms. They provide comfort for disabled people with caretakers of the opposite gender, mothers caring for their sons as well as fathers caring for their daughters.

    “I’m a mother of a four year old son and sometimes I feel like people are staring,” said Sohr-Preston. “It would just be easier for families and people with disabilities if there were gender-neutral bathrooms.”

    Certain laws require ramps to be built in areas where there are not necessarily any disabled people. Settembrino believes that gender-neutral bathrooms have the same principle behind them.

    “Not to say that transgender people are disabled, but just like people with disabilities, transgender people require different accommodations that should be provided to them to feel safe and comfortable,” said Settembrino.

    Due to gender-neutral bathrooms being a new concept, students have to figure out other ways to be comfortable in the bathrooms on campus. Sociology instructor Rebecca Hensley believes that there are alternative options available to transgender students currently attending the university.

    “Until Southeastern makes some kind of transition, something students could do to make sure that everyone feels comfortable would be to make a list of bathrooms on campus that are accessible to both genders and make that information public for students,” said Hensley.

    According to Southeastern’s Executive Director of Public and Governmental Affairs Erin Cowser, the university is not currently looking to make any changes to current bathrooms.

    “At present, Southeastern’s restroom offerings are per the codes and standards outlined in state building and plumbing codes,” said Cowser. 

    However, organizations such as StandOUT are hoping to see gender-neutral bathrooms make their way to the university in the near future.

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