We’re living in progressive times where gender is concerned. We’ve seen a thousand headlines about swimmer Bruce Jenner become Caitlyn Jenner and be celebrated for her bravery. Gender is being recognised as fluid rather than a fixed point without flexibility.
So where does that leave the humble washroom?
That’s exactly what some washroom owners are asking themselves. Memorial University in Canada has created cubicles without gender designations, labelled as open to everyone.
It’s a progressive move designed to help transgender students feel accepted on campus.
Fostering acceptance
“This is really important to make sure trans students and trans workers feel comfortable on campus,” said Brittany Byrnes, the MUNSU director of campaigns.
“Students identify as many different genders, so just having male or female really doesn’t meet the needs of all students.”
As trans people and others who don’t identify as male or female become increasingly prominent within society, the need for gender inclusivity in washrooms will increase.
At present, there are no internationally recognised standard for gender inclusive washrooms. In the future all that might change.
For the meantime, we’ll be watching with a keen eye to see if these developments lead to an altering of washroom designs. No matter what, we’ll continue to create high-quality, progressive washrooms.
For more information about products and services regarding washrooms, visit our Washroom services page.
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