Lethbridge College just got a little more diverse, as gender neutral washrooms have recently been put into place.
Equality among all genders has been an ongoing issue for some time now, and this is the college’s first step at creating that equality.
Member of the transgender community Avery Follett believes the college taking this step will have a huge impact moving forward.
“Gender neutral bathrooms will allow for a safe, private place for individuals to go without scrutiny or inquiry.”
According to Follett, a lot of non-binary individuals are often afraid to speak up about the issues they face, and that could be why it took so long for the college to make this transition.
Follett is, however, fond of the change.
“I do think it’s a step into the right direction, it will be great for anyone who needs a private bathroom space.”
Other things that can be done to help the situation would be getting educated in school on transgender things, more commonly-used gender neutral language, and an overall more welcoming atmosphere towards that community says Follett.
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Transgender people have been proven to higher risks of bullying, harassment, and even police violence than the average individual according to bustle.com.
School Teacher Nancy Tamblyn says that gender neutral bathrooms are a thing that more and more places should consider implementing.
“The non-binary group is a group that is certainly on a rise, and it is only fair that they receive equal treatment as does everyone else,” said Tamblyn.
Tamblyn also thinks that the gender neutral bathrooms will play a big role on the safety and privacy of these individuals.
“I don’t think any of us would be comfortable going to the bathroom around people we don’t want to be around, so the installation of these bathrooms will go a long way in ensuring that the individual is more confident and comfortable in their environment.”
The college has installed these bathrooms in both the Andrews and Paterson buildings and put labels on them to represent their use.
