U of Denver - RAs start campaign for permanent transgender bathrooms

[Felix]

The Clarion
Sarah Ford
http://www.duclarion.com/news/ras-start-campaign-for-permanent-transgender-bathrooms-1.2778785

Residential Advisers (RAs) organized a transgender awareness program by transforming one of the bathrooms in Centennial Halls' lobby to a transgender bathroom for a few days last week, all aiming to spread awareness to first-year residents.

"Everyone has a different identity, and it's not just racial," Lauren Johnson, one of the Residential Advisers that helped put on the program, said. "It's age, gender, social economic class, it's everything. We want to build a community that says, 'Hey, it's okay.'"

[Annah]

I think that's horrible.

Reminds me of "U of Denver - RAs start campaign for permanent Black Water Fountains"

Residential Advisers (RAs) organized a black people awareness program by transforming one of the water fountains in Centennial Halls' lobby to a blacks only water fountain for a few days last week, all aiming to spread awareness to first-year residents.

[Felix]

I think that's horrible.

Reminds me of "U of Denver - RAs start campaign for permanent Black Water Fountains"

Residential Advisers (RAs) organized a black people awareness program by transforming one of the water fountains in Centennial Halls' lobby to a blacks only water fountain for a few days last week, all aiming to spread awareness to first-year residents.

Lolyup.

[Annah]

I wonder if they even bothered asking a transgender person what they though before coming up with that idea and saying "THIS IS GREAT!!!"

[Joelene9]

  No thanks, I'll the men's in Olin Hall for awhile.  I go to meetings there on the same campus.
  Joelene

[Ryno]

They're doing this at the University of Western Ontario in London (Canada) as well. They're ungendered single-person washrooms, aren't they? There wouldn't be a sign on a door between 'MEN'S' and 'WOMEN'S' reading 'TRANSSEXUALS', it would just be a room than says "Washroom" with one toilet. They're washrooms for everyone, not specifically trans people, so going into one doesn't mean you're saying to everyone in the area, "Hey, look at me! I'm trans! Watch me go into my special washroom!"

The idea is to make using the washroom safer for trans people, yes, but also more comfortable for everyone else too. Some people are self-conscious and don't like being heard, or judged by the other guys/girls by the mirrors, or whatnot.

I think it's not a bad idea. Advertising it as a move only for the trans community may be reaching a little too far but it's comforting to know there are people in power at least trying to make some positive change.


EDIT: I clearly didn't read the article and assumed it was similar to one I read about my hometown university. Sounds like they're just letting people go into whatever washroom they please - men pissing with women. ... I take my comment back. I think single-person washrooms would be a safer option...

However...

Overall, Johnson said, the program was well-received by both students and faculty.

Meh. Whatever works.