By Scott Beed, Staff Contributor
Gender-neutral bathrooms can be found at different locations on Dalhousie University campus – from the Life Sciences Centre to the Dalplex. But until recently, the Student Union Building was noticeably absent from this list.
Lisa Buchanan former Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer (LGBTQ) community representative on Dalhousie Student Union council, says she noticed this lapse.
The concern was that any student, staff member, or member of the general public would have to choose a gender when going into a SUB bathroom. This can be an issue for transgendered people who don’t readily identify with one gender or the other.
“I became particularly motivated on the issue as I began to meet more and more trans-folks, all of whom could speak to the issue of gender-designated restrooms. One trans-man living in residence said the co-ed washroom in his residence was saving his life,” says Buchanan, who has also held executive positions with DalOUT.
Over the last few years DalOUT has made a goal to better represent and create a more welcoming environment for transgendered students. Buchanan says the group will hopefully have an impact on the broader community and help create awareness.
Buchanan also chaired the Promotion of Diversity on Campus Committee during the 2008-2009 school year. She says this position allowed her to bring the issue to the DSU. At the time, current DSU President Shannon Zimmerman was a committee member and ensured the renovations would be completed between the end of winter semester last year and the resumption of classes this fall.
Buchanan says the DSU was open to the idea of installing gender-neutral restrooms in the SUB. The actual process was simple and inexpensive, and the two original washrooms only underwent minor changes.
“The whole issue is comfort. We want to make these students feel as comfortable as possible and that’s why it was important to do it through the union. Also it was an initiative that the union was more than happy to follow through on,” says Zimmerman.
The older buildings on campus would be difficult to renovate – there would be problems with rerouting plumbing finding a suitable space and construction costs.
“The university needs to keep the issue in mind when moving forward and building new buildings,” Zimmerman says.
Unlike at other universities in the United States and United Kingdom, these transgendered restrooms didn’t create a lot of controversy.
“Of course there were questions on why we were doing this and what it meant,” says the DSU president. “But, it seems that in the Student Union Building it was met with a lot of support.”
Located on the third floor of the SUB, the gender-neutral restrooms are not unlike other single-occupancy restrooms at Dal, except that they were created specifically with transgendered students in mind.
“I’d love to see at least one gender-neutral restroom in all Dal buildings, and I’m happy to report that this issue is on the university administration’s radar, so any new buildings should have them,” says Buchanan. “It’s a small action that can have a big impact for members of the trans community.”
Liz Bugbee, DalOUT secretary, says some people at Dal don’t fit the standard description of genders. There are transgendered students who identify with being female but have many of the physical traits commonly associated with being male. For them, just going to the restroom can be stressful. Bugbee is happy to see the DSU taking this issue seriously.
Allies at Dal, a group that actively supports students, staff and faculty in the gay community on different issues, has complied a list of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. The list can be found at dalally.studentservices.dal.ca.
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