If you’re a USC student, you might have started noticing that gender-neutral restrooms have been popping up around the campus. Apparently, this is all a part of USC’s new campus-wide policy to transform all single occupancy restrooms into gender-neutral restrooms. Although USC has won national acclaim for its LGBT inclusivity and gay friendliness in 2014, it has fallen behind other campuses in terms of transgender accommodations.
According to a Neon Tommy article written in 2011, USC only had 12 gender-neutral restrooms, and transgender students often had to carry around a piece of paper marking these locations whenever they had to use the restroom. Thus, while USC’s friendly and inclusive environment is definitely worth applauding, its lack of facilities is not.
USC’s accepting environment also means that it attracts a lot of matriculating transgender students, and indeed, this number has been rising significantly, which makes USC’s lack of transgender amenities all the more serious. Hence, USC’s current new policy is a long-awaited one for many students who identify with a gender that differs from their birth sex. While the new policy is definitely a right step towards improving LGBT resources, the policy can be controversial. I asked a few USC students to share their opinions on the new policy to see what the USC community is thinking. Here are quotes from a few USC students who were willing to impart their opinion on the policy:
Some employed logic.
“Single occupancy restrooms being changed to all-gender restrooms are perfectly logical. There are no issues with that, nor should there be. If anything, it makes using a bathroom all the more convenient for the student or person on campus who needs it without having to worry about finding a male or female only restroom.”
– Jake Grey
Some were sympathetic.
“It’s a step in the right direction. Going to the bathroom shouldn’t have to be a problem for non-cisgender folks, and I’m glad USC has acknowledged that.”
– Samantha Cavalcanti
“That’s amazing! I didn’t notice it but I think that’s awesome!”
– Cynthia Mae
And some employed humor.
“All this does is give women/whoever the opportunity to use dirtier bathrooms. Fair."
– Charles Reitz
Some turned existential
"What is gender?"
– Nick Bradvica
Some talked through experience
"I transitioned during my last year of university and finding a place to pee where I felt safe and wasn't putting anyone else out was an unnecessary extra hurdle in the process. It is a place where you pee and poo. There's no real need for gender distinction except to artificially separate people into groups. Don't we already have sororities and fraternities for that? Do we need more arbitrary group distinction on campus? "
- Isaac Emerson Burke
But all had one thing in common: They all showed positivity to the new policy, and this just goes to show that USC indeed deserves its national acclaim for being the most LGBT- and gay-friendly campus!
