Gender Neutral Restrooms

The University of California, Davis strives to create a campus community that values all people and their identities.  The UC Davis Principles of Community states, “We affirm the inherent dignity in all of us, and we strive to maintain a climate of justice marked by respect for each other.”  In order to continue our pursuit in creating climate of justice, we must continue to assess our campus climate and address arising needs.

As Transgender and Gender Queer people become more visible in our society as a whole, it creates a more positive environment for all individuals to explore their gender identity and expression.  As the lines of gender expression and identity become increasingly blurred, less people fit into the arbitrary gender role expectations assigned by society.  This can often ignite ignorance and fear among those who do not understand the complexities of gender expression.

The implementation of gender neutral restrooms on campus can provide one opportunity to create safe spaces for Transgender and Gender Queer people.  Many Transgender and Gender Queer people experience discrimination, harassment, or general discomfort when forced to choose from gender binary restrooms because they do not clearly fit into either.

The privilege of having access to safe restrooms for non-gender variant people often goes unacknowledged.  Being able to have access to facilities that meet one of our basic human needs is one way to affirm the inherent dignity in all of us.

Sincerely,
Sheri Atkinson, slatkinson@ucdavis.edu
Director, LGBT Resource Center, UC Davis