What you need to know about Temple’s new gender-inclusive housing policy

Temple University is finally offering students Gender-Inclusive Housing (GIH) for this upcoming school year.

GIH will be offered by request on-campus in Temple Towers and Morgan Hall North for upperclassmen and in 1940 and White Hall for incoming freshmen or transfer students.

With both suite-style and apartment-style dorms offered, students will have the opportunity to room with any resident they desire, “regardless of biological sex, gender expression, gender identity or sexual orientation,” according to the University Housing and Residential Life website.

Dorm room at 1940 Residence Hall

All residents requesting GIH must be 18 years or older; any student requesting on-campus GIH that is under the age of 18 will be handled on a case-by-case basis with consent from a legal guardian.  

An attempt to expand upon Temple’s diverse and inclusive campus, the Gender-Inclusive Housing policy has been a conversation at Temple for ten years. Many upperclassmen may remember filling out a survey regarding the subject during their freshman or sophomore year.

Though the decision was made with the preferences of LGBTQIA+ students in mind, the policy is not solely specific to the community; residents who wish to room with friends of the same-sex are also welcome to discuss their options with University Housing and Residential Life and apply for GIH. However, it is not recommended that students that are romantically involved consider the policy an option.

Nancy Morris, a professor at Temple University, believes the enactment of the policy is a positive move.

“For the community of Temple, including the students and everyone who works here, to be part of that social conversation and to be moving that conversation forward with policies seems, to me, to be extremely appropriate in a university setting,” she said.

Many people directly affected by the policy, such as Johnson Hall RA Rebecca Cole, also feel that GIH will benefit not only students directly, but the Temple community  as well.

“This is my third year with Rez Life and it’s something that the community has been trying to make happen for a couple years,” Cole said. “There are a lot of students who are not comfortable living in a traditional-style dorm. So, this is going to diversify Temple and make it more marketable to a larger group of students who otherwise might not have felt comfortable coming to our school.”

Transfer student and Media Studies and Production major Kelsie Smith believes, “It’s really important, especially for the transgender community. It’s a great decision for everyone and it makes living on campus more convenient and more equal.”

Chris Lynch, a freshman this year loves the new policy but wishes it had been made an option sooner.

“If they had enacted this a month ago, I wouldn’t have signed the lease for my apartment off campus next year. It’s still really awesome that Temple is moving forward with a policy like this one.”