Here at Santa Clara University, we pride ourselves on our rich diversity on campus and our inclusivity of others. Recently, in my dorm, students, along with the university, decided to implement a gender-inclusive bathroom on the first floor. The men's’ bathroom was closed and the women's was turned into the gender inclusive bathroom.
I was so excited when I heard that SCU was implementing its first gender-inclusive bathroom. Most people go to the bathroom six to seven times a day. Imagine if you went to the bathroom that many times a day and each time, you were extremely uncomfortable and afraid of what might happen in that bathroom.
Some people are faced with the question: which bathroom do I use? The answer is confusing to them. They don’t want to freak out either men or women by using their bathrooms and don’t want to face discrimination if they do choose which bathroom to use. For most transgender or gender-neutral people, especially those who are still discovering their identity, no gendered bathroom is comfortable for them.
A gender-inclusive bathroom provides safety for people who feel nervous about choosing which bathroom to use. When you walk into the bathroom in my building, the stalls were altered in order to ensure maximum privacy. There are pads and tampons on the sink for women. It looks like a normal bathroom except for the fact that both men and women are using it.
The first time I used it, I was nervous about seeing a boy in the bathroom. I was definitely not used to it and didn’t know what to expect. However, I ended up washing my hands next to a boy and we both left the bathroom. I didn't feel strange or anything like that. In fact, I didn’t even care that a boy had been in the same bathroom as me.
It was then that I realized how important a gender-inclusive bathroom is. Even though I do not necessarily need a gender-inclusive bathroom, there are others who do. There are people who are afraid to use the bathroom and this will hopefully bring awareness to that fact. It’s time that people understand that there needs to be more gender equality, especially on college campuses.
