By Ryan Knight//Students’ right to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity in public schools has been taken all the way to the Supreme Court.

But since changes were made at Hood College, using the same bathroom as their transgender and gender-nonconforming peers hasn’t been an issue for anyone on campus. Safety and comfort while using the bathrooms were primary reasons members of the Queer Student Union wanted all-gender bathrooms o campus.

During the spring 2016 semester, QSU members met with President Andrea Chapdelaine and Dean Olivia White during an open forum in which they discussed the possibility of making some restrooms on campus all-gender.

According to the Rev. Beth O’ Malley, other institutions had restroom accommodations for transgender students and Hood College wanted to adhere to those same standards because transgender students needed this change to feel safe in the bathroom. However, overall, she feels that safety and comfort of all students is important because many students call this campus home.

In July, Chapdelaine and Facilities Manager Jim Thomas were presented with the proposal from QSU members and manufacturing of all low-cost all-gender signs were installed by the start of classes in September.
In approving this change, Chapdelaine said: “Students’ well-being and safety was my primary concern. It’s consistent with our mission to be inclusive and to make everyone feel that we are respectful of their needs and desires.”

Because their needs are most important to her, Chapdelaine sent out a mass email to faculty and students informing them of the bathroom signage change and told us we could see her if we had concerns. She said she has received no complaints so far and that everyone is happy.

There are 13 all-gender restrooms on campus, although not all of them are single-stalled. They are located in Admissions House, Alumnae Hall, Alumnae House, Broadbeck Hall, Carson Cottage, the basements of Coblentz Hall and Hodson Science & Technology Center, Joseph Pastore Facilities building, the first floor locker room of the Ronald J Volpe Athletic Center, Rosenstock Hall, Strawn Cottage, Williams Observatory, and on the first floor of the Joseph Henry Apple Academic Center.

Lucky Hernandez, a 19-year-old sophomore French and social work major who identifies as a non-binary transgender person said Hernandez wanted to have all-gender bathrooms on campus because Hernandez wanted to feel safe going to the bathroom. Hernandez said, “Knowing there are gender neutral bathrooms on campus and being able to use them, I feel much more safe and secure.”

Hernandez went on to say that prospective students and their parents who lacked education on transgender rights were concerned about the all gender bathrooms on campus. Despite this, Hernandez feels all-gender bathrooms on campus provide hope for prospective students that their rights are acknowledged at Hood and that things are going to get better.

Le Nguyen also wanted all-gender bathrooms on campus. The 21-year-old senior business administration major said that many liberal arts colleges have accommodations for transgender students so QSU members thought that Hood College bathrooms should become inclusive.

She went on to say that transgender and gender-nonconforming people are stared at in men’s and women’s bathrooms and don’t feel safe. “The goal isn’t to replace men’s and women’s bathrooms, but to include all gender bathrooms to become more inclusive.

QSU president Jonathan Morales, a 26-year-old senior education major who identifies as gay, believes that all-gender bathrooms on campus are a safe place for people who don’t look the way society believes you should look to use the restroom. He also believes that all-gender bathrooms create equality for everyone.

“The LGTBQ+ community faces many hardships in today’s society, some of which revolve around equal rights,” Morales said. “These bathrooms are iconic symbols on campus. They demonstrate how open, respectful and diverse Hood campus is and strives to be.”

Chapdelaine said she hopes that having all-gender bathrooms on campus sends an important message to incoming students and their parents about the type of college we are and the values we hold.