Ayamdigut campus creates five gender-neutral washrooms

WHITEHORSE - Yukon College’s Ayamdigut campus has created five gender-neutral washrooms in the main campus building. One multi-use male, one multi-use female, and three single-use washrooms have been given the gender-neutral designation.

The washrooms were re-designated this month following a student request in September. The entire project cost $3132.00 for new signage, increased privacy for multi-use washroom stalls, and the removal of urinals and installation of counters and mirrors in the previously male-only washroom.

A gender-neutral washroom is where persons of any gender can use the facility and signage is not gender-specific. The space is beneficial for transgender persons and those who identify as agender (not aligning with any gender), gender non-conforming, gender fluid and anyone who requires a multi-gender washroom, such as a parent and child or a support worker and their client.

“Gender-neutral washrooms are a low-cost way of increasing the available washroom space on campus for everybody,” said Gloria Johnston, Bookstore Manager, who spearheaded the project.

Johnston consulted with Yukon transgender advocates Chase Blodgett and Shaun LaDue on the College washroom project. LaDue has been a student at the College several times in the past thirty years, most recently in 2013.

“Everybody needs to be able to go to the washroom, but not everyone fits the gender-binary designation of most facilities,” said LaDue. “Using a male multi-use washroom I always have a sense of vulnerability around the reactions of others – a feeling that it may not be safe. I feel more comfortable in a gender-neutral washroom as everyone is holding less expectations around who you may encounter.”

“It’s about basic dignity. This is not just a transgender community issue, but an issue for anyone who does not look the way other people expect them to look,” said Blodgett. “In the past, I have had to plan my day around where I can find safe washroom spaces, and I am really happy to be able to add Ayamdigut campus to my list of safe spaces in Yukon.”

The greatest challenge for Johnston was finding appropriate signage for the washrooms as much existing signage for gender-neutral spaces continues to reference the male/female gender binary.

“In the end we settled on the toilet sign, which is only just coming into use as an inclusive way to indicate the washroom space without resorting to gender symbols,” said Johnston.

The College has also placed signage inside each washroom explaining the significance of gender-neutral washroom spaces and how to be a stronger ally to transgender, agender, gender fluid or gender non-conforming people.

Two gender-neutral multi-use washrooms are located near the ground floor main entrance, two single-use washrooms are located in the lower trades area, and one single-use washroom is located within the staff lounge.

Beyond these five washrooms, Ayamdigut campus has 14 gender-specific single and multi-use washrooms. Yukon College Campus Housing created two gender-neutral washrooms in 2012.