“Relieving yourself” should be a simple process that doesn’t require much thought. And for many, using a washroom on Carleton’s campus is just that.
But for others, it can include a scenic 20-minute walk — or, if need be, dash — across campus. Even worse than that, it can be an emotionally painful experience that triggers fears and can put personal security at risk.
Why do we have gendered single-stall washrooms at Carleton but insufficient gender-neutral ones?
For trans-identified and genderqueer students, who don’t fit within society’s binary gender categories, using a washroom marked male or female can be incredibly upsetting, and also unsafe. These students face being told to leave because they’re in the wrong washroom, getting laughed at, receiving dirty looks or having their gender identity openly questioned.
The very relevant issue of gender-neutral washrooms on campus is one that provokes constant discussion, particularly at Carleton’s GLBTQ Centre. Students have come to me, as the centre’s administrative co-ordinator, expressing their discontent with the condition, placement and general inaccessibility of our gender-neutral washrooms.
Equity Services lists 15 gender-neutral washrooms on campus. But they’re confined to four buildings, three of which are residences. So, the majority — around 10 — can only be accessed by key-carrying residents of particular rez floors.
One of the biggest problems is the lack of gender-neutral washrooms in and near the library. For students studying at the library late at night, the closest gender-neutral washroom is on the fourth floor of the Unicentre. This means they need to pack up all their belongings, leave the library, and then trek all the way across the quad. Not only does this severely disrupt a student’s focus and academic abilities, but using a washroom that’s located down a low-traffic and unmonitored hallway late at night could be dangerous.
Carleton does have a progressive — albeit, largely unknown — policy, which allows students to use any washroom that coincides with their self-identified gender. But with the current stigma that exists, this simply isn’t enough. The serious risk of being outed, harassed and even assaulted would make using a gendered washroom on campus stressful and, again, dangerous.
Single-stall, gender-neutral washrooms shouldn’t be a controversial issue for universities, but rather a requirement — it’s a clear matter of student safety, which is the administration’s duty to try to protect.
We need to show our commitment to the safety of students who present themselves with an ambiguous gender, identify as gender-queer, are non-conforming to society’s gender roles or are in the process of transitioning. We must support our fellow students and voice their desire for safe, accessible washrooms on campus.
We have recently seen a push towards progress with many other universities in creating accessible and safe gender-neutral washrooms. As Carleton students, we need to apply this same pressure.
Everyone is so proud of Carleton’s brand new environmentally progressive buildings, but what about other types of progressiveness? More and more students are admitted every year and we create new buildings to accommodate them, yet we’re not increasing the amount of accessible gender-neutral washrooms.
Although the GLBTQ Centre expressed our concerns with the lack of gender-neutral washrooms in the library, they are nowhere to be found in upcoming plans for the library’s renovation, based on discussions with members of Carleton’s Board of Governors.
Creating safer and more acceptable spaces for students amidst the new construction, and in general, shouldn’t even be a question. It should be on the forefront of the minds of everyone who is concerned about fostering a positive student experience.
Just because a group is a minority, doesn’t mean the university should disregard its rights to a safe and accessible facility, especially when they are tuition-paying students. Establishing safer, accessible spaces for students cannot be an afterthought.
For an establishment that positively enforces a “safe-space” campaign, it’s time to broaden our definition of what students may consider a safe space.