It has been announced that twelve new gender-neutral bathrooms will be opening in UL. These bathrooms are designed for all persons to use regardless of their gender identity. The university currently has two bathrooms of this nature which were installed in 2015. The bathrooms will be spread across both North and South campus ensuring trans and non-binary students will have comfortable bathrooms to access all over the campus. The current bathrooms have a sign on their door reading ‘Anyone can use this restroom regardless of gender identity or expression.’ Some students have voiced concerns about whether there will be new bathrooms purpose built or if current infrastructure will suffice with signs added to the doors.
The twelve extra bathrooms are the fruit of a long campaign from Out in UL, UL’s LGBTQ+ society. Former Co-President Seán Lynch expressed his delight at the introduction of the gender-neutral bathrooms; “I was delighted with the news of 12 new gender-neutral bathrooms being installed around UL campus. The work Out in UL along with UL Students Union put in has been phenomenal to make what was just a dream become reality. This is a massively positive step from UL in creating more safe spaces for trans and non-binary people in UL to exist and live.”
Megan Thornton, President of UL’s Intersectional Feminist Society believes that this is an amazing achievement and step forward in the right direction on campus. Megan finds that ‘it is a first step towards a more inclusive and accepting campus and that’s the way it should be. It shows that everyone no matter what their gender has a place in UL. Everyone involved should be very proud of their achievement for the current and future students of UL.”
When speaking to students about the new bathrooms, many students are taking the concept very well. Second year student Niamh Delmer says; “I think it’s a great idea. I wouldn’t care if a trans man or woman came into the female bathroom so it wouldn’t bother me to use a gender-neutral bathroom either. I think it’s great that UL is becoming more and more inclusive every year.” The University is not alone with such renovations, as this summer Dublin City University also brought in a number of gender neutral bathrooms around their campus. Hopefully we will see such forward thinking happening in not just universities, but schools, shopping centres and public places all around the country.