REGION: Transgender students seek unisex bathrooms at Oakland University
Published: Sunday, November 25, 2012
By Kevin Graham

http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2012/11/25/news/doc50b2515f2efa2536578181.txt

A group of Oakland University students is pushing for an increase in the number of unisex or "family" restrooms throughout the campus.

The transgender students are circulating a petition around campus to call on the university to put in the bathrooms to address the safety concerns they have.

Transgender people are a group whose gender identity does not match that of the sex they were born. Because they identify more strongly with the opposite sex, many dress and behave in a manner associated with the opposite gender.

Because their situation does not conform to society's traditional view of gender, OU student Blake Bonkowski said choosing which bathroom to use can be problematic.

Gender SAFE at OU, the group behind the petition effort, is arguing that changes would benefit the disabled community as well. People in wheelchairs would be able to have a person or an aide of the opposite sex enter the bathroom with them to help.