LGBTQ+ Resources: Gender Neutral Restrooms

Western Libraries has many gender neutral restrooms:

• A 10 stall restroom is located on the main level (second floor) of Haggard Hall
• One in the Disability Access Center on the first floor of Wilson
• Another on the first floor of Wilson outside of the Disability Access Center
• Two located on the sixth floor of Wilson.

The rationale for creating gender neutral restrooms within Western Libraries is as follows:

1. Many transgender and other gender non-conforming individuals experience harassment, assault and police intervention when attempting to access gender-specific restrooms. Gender-neutral restrooms are an attempt to provide safe and reasonably available places for transgender and other gender non-conforming people to use restrooms at school or work without fear of embarrassment, harassment, or violence. (Adapted from the Equal Opportunity Office's June 2012 FAMIS Request).
2. Creating gender neutral restrooms is also in keeping with Western Libraries’ commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

Definitions

Gender-neutral: Nondiscriminatory language to describe relationships—e.g. “spouse” and “partner” are gender-neutral alternatives to the gender-specific words “husband,” “wife,” “boyfriend” and “girlfriend.”  (Courtesy of UC Berkeley Gender Equity Resource Center).

Gender-variant: Displaying gender traits that are not normatively associated with their biological sex. “Feminine” behavior or appearance in a male is gender-variant as is “masculine” behavior or appearance a female. Gender-variant behavior is culturally specific. (Courtesy of UC Berkeley Gender Equity Resource Center).

Gender Role: How “masculine” or “feminine” an individual acts. Societies commonly have norms regarding how males and females should behave, expecting people to have personality characteristics and/or act a certain way based on their biological sex. (Courtesy of UC Berkeley Gender Equity Resource Center).

Further Resources

Here are some useful resources in order to become more familiar with the issues around gender neutral restrooms.

• The May 2012 Resolution, signed by the WWU AS Board of Directors, is located here.
• The AS Review, associated with WWU, has published an article on the acceptance of the May 2012 Resolution.
• The Gender Equity Resource Center at UC Berkeley provides a thorough list of definitions and resources.