Penn State to get gender-neutral bathrooms on campus
“I think it’s a great change and I’m wondering why it took so long”
While it is likely to find family bathrooms in many buildings, why shouldn’t it be for gender-neutral bathrooms? The Tab talked to Penn State students and the faculty to know what were their opinions on the project and what were the costs to make it happen.
Deborah Howard, Director of Facilities Resources and Planning, a division of the Office of Physical Plant
The Office of Physical Plant, which is mostly in charge of it, will get the report back concerning the gender-neutral bathroom project in June 2016 and will officially start the project from that date, said Deborah Howard, Director of Facilities Resources and Planning, a division of the Office of Physical Plant. They will first focus on Penn State, University Park and then will try to spread out this project in all the branch campuses, she said.
“The study is $120,000 and Gannett Fleming will be conducting it at University Park and part of their scope is to give us an idea on how much will it cost. It’s probably going to be between $35,000 and $50,000 a building, so we’re talking about millions of dollars.”
Howard said they are first looking on adding those new gender-neutral bathrooms in the major academic buildings. She still doesn’t know if they’re going to be able to have one in every building and that’s one of the reason they wanted Gannett Fleming to study it.
It is not just about plumbing and fixtures, it’s about what it represents for the LGBTQA community. This is what matters.
Alison Subasic, Director of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Ally Student Resource Center
“The advantage of gender-neutral bathroom it’s that it’s not just for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally community, but it can also be family restrooms or handicap restrooms and really, they should be all three.”
“A lot of students are gender-neutral or androgynies or people want to be able to go to the bathroom where they feel more comfortable and especially if they’re in a trans spectrum. They want to be able to go to the bathroom in a place that’s safe. Often they’re more comfortable going to gender-neutral bathroom. It is basically a matter of safety for them.”
Bobby Hilzen, Junior, Hospitality Management, identifies as straight
“I wouldn’t mind going to the bathroom next to a woman, man or transgender. Everyone is a human, I really don’t care.”
Joyce Lim, Sophomore, Film, doesn’t like to be labeled
“I’m really glad and excited to see this happening in my generation. I feel like it’s one of the first baby steps of supporting gender creativity, which is hindered by today’s culture in our society.”
Amirah Colter, Sophomore, Psychology, identifies as straight
“I think it’s a great change and I’m wondering why it took so long.”
“I feel like we’re way too sensitive about stuff like that cause we don’t think about how hard it has to be for other people who don’t identify with being male or female and have to stand between the female or male bathroom when it’s neither.”
Although Penn State earned highest LGBT-friendly climate score by Campus Pride, a national nonprofit organization for student leaders and campus groups working to improve LGBT environments at colleges in 2015 and by The Huffington Post. It is by making steps forward and working on projects like the gender-neutral bathroom one that it’ll be possible to keep making changes and have an impact for the LGBTQA community on campus.