allgender-genderneutralrest-blog

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Post Ten: Reflection

           This topic proved to be challenging due to most of the existing literature and research mainly just discussing why gender neutral bathrooms are necessary. The real task was finding information on how these are accessible to the most people and how they are physically constructed. My interest was in what types of gender neutral bathrooms seem to be the best option. At this point it seems that the single stalled bathrooms are the most sought after and provide the best safety and privacy for folks. Creating these are better for cost and are accessible to the most people.

           Doing this research taught me to look more at the individual and not just collective experiences. Unisex bathrooms do not just have to be for people that don’t identify with male or female. They can be for anybody regardless of gender even if they identify as cis and have never had an issue in a gendered bathroom. Having a single room where you can use the bathroom in peace with nobody else physically there to police your experience in that space creates greater feelings of safety. What struck me the most were the personal narratives because as a person that does not come off as female presenting I could really identify with some of the harassment experiences of the people in the articles and videos.

#gws 294 #reflection #transgenderstudies #blogproject #gender neutral #all gender bathrooms #safety #gender identitty

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Post Nine: Blog Resources and Additional Resources

TRANSGENDERED BATHROOMS. (2016). Journal of Property Management, 81(1), 28. 

This is an article that provides basic definitions of terms used throughout the blog like transgender, gender identity, gender expression, and sex. It also provides introductory information on the need for gender neutral bathrooms and how most are structural seen today. See Post two for more information.

Beemyn, B., Curtis, B., Davis, M., & Tubbs, N. J. (2005). Transgender issues on college campuses. New directions for student services, 111, 49-60.

This resource helps folks navigate creating safe spaces on college campuses whether it is in housing, bathrooms, or locker rooms. It gives specific suggestions for how campus housing can be more accessible to students that are trans or gender nonconforming.  It also talks about how we cannot assume that queer spaces are always what trans folks need but rather we should ask them what is best for their experiences. See Post Three for more information.

Anthony, K. H., & Dufresne, M. (2007). Potty parity in perspective: gender and family issues in planning and designing public restrooms. Journal of Planning Literature, 21(3), 267-294.

This source goes into detail about why the construction of single stalled bathrooms is actually cost efficient as well as how it creates a more equal environment. It also discusses the legislation that requires new buildings or renovations of bathrooms to include gender neutral bathrooms. See Post Four for more information.

https://www.ted.com/talks/ivan_coyote_why_we_need_gender_neutral_bathrooms?language=en#t-7076

This TED Talk provides a personal narrative from Ivan Coyote regarding their experience with not always having a safe space to use the restroom or change in. There is also talk about legislation regarding folks having to use the restroom that matches the gender they were assigned at birth.

http://amplifyyourvoice.org/youthresource/youthresource-genderneutralfaq/

This website provides common questions regarding the need for gender neutral bathrooms, what they tend to look like, and what it means to have access to them.

http://www.uua.org/lgbtq/welcoming/ways/bathrooms

This is an excellent source that provides suggestions for people thinking about creating gender neutral bathrooms. It provides a couple different ways to change the current settings of bathrooms that exist into more inclusive spaces. It also provides links to other resources that help with signs for bathrooms and the structural changes.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/09/white-house-gender-neutral-bathroom_n_7028810.html

This video/ article talks about how the White House added a gender neutral restroom in order to promote accessibility for all people.

https://genderandsexuality.uic.edu/gender-inclusion-uic/gender-neutral-bathrooms/

Due to this blog being viewed by UIC students/ classmates, here is a resource from the Gender and Sexuality Center where all the gender neutral bathrooms are on campus thus far.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/03/28/north-carolina-bathroom-law-could-change-practices-public-colleges-and-universities

This source discusses one of the proposed laws that Ivan spoke about regarding folks having to use the restroom that matching their biological sex at birth.

#gws 294 #post nine #transgnederstudies #resources #gender neutral bathrooms #all gender bathrooms #blog project #transissues #additionalresources

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Post Eight: Summary and Connection to Course Readings

           The research done in this blog regarding gender neutral bathrooms takes a look at how these bathrooms are accessible to trans, gender nonconforming, and other groups of people in terms of accessibility. It aims to present some evidence that combat the claims against the need for these inclusive spaces such as them being too expensive, not open to more than just trans folks, and other viewpoints. While looking at some ways that places like campuses can be more inclusive with spaces like housing, bathrooms, and locker rooms this blog also looks at how different places have started incorporating gender neutral bathrooms regarding physical structure of these spaces.

           Finding legislation or legal approaches to this work was something I specifically sought out considering we have learned through the health panel and other articles that this community is lacking support from the government/ just gaining support which is why folks within the community are so accustomed to finding ways to adapt to situations such as the ones with the bathrooms. This legislation may not fix current structures but ensures that in the future gender neutral restrooms need to be considered when creating or renovating spaces.

           The first reading that came to mind when hearing personal narratives in videos or in the TED Talk about experiences folks have had in bathrooms reminded me of a reading from the beginning of the semester titled “A Certain Kind of Freedom: Power and the Truth of Bodies” by Wilchins because it gets at the root of the issue which is that gender is all a system created and perpetuated by all of the people within that choose to participate. We have attached meaning to gender and how it is perceived and presented. People get rewarded for ‘doing’ their gender right and punished for ‘doing’ it wrong. Pushing for neutral spaces is important because, as Ivan said, these so called ‘public’ spaces are not really public spaces because not all are welcome.

#GWS 294 #post eight #blog prject #summary #gender neutral bathrooms #course readings #ted talk #wilchins #transgender studies #summaryandconnection

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Post Seven: Building Codes… Big Obstacle

           Public bathrooms have not always been necessarily separated.. "Historically, shared public latrines have been a feature of most communities, and this continues to be true in developing countries such as Ghana, China, and India," Olga Gershenson and Barbara Penner. The work force is what brought about the need for more bathrooms, particularly women in the work force. Massachusetts was the first state to pass a law mandating women's restrooms in workplaces with female employees. Due to this not being the law of the entire land, other places were allowed to refuse to build bathrooms for women. 

           Due to laws being created after this regulating the makeup of these bathrooms it has now made it a task for folks to change these building codes. Existing building codes tell you how many of each bathroom there must be depending on how big the population in that area is. Only in recent years (2012) in places like New York has it been given the go ahead for places to make rooms with two water closets gender neutral bathrooms.

By law establishments follow a fifty fifty rule assuming there an equal amount of men to women which has changed so places can have two women’s bathrooms for every male bathroom’ this is why if multiple stall bathrooms are to be changed to gender neutral it tends to be the women’s bathrooms. The codes are all calculated by number of specific gender per toilet which has to be reformed in order to take some of those bathrooms and transform those into gender neutral spaces.

Source:

http://reason.com/archives/2014/04/11/gender-neutral-bathrooms-building-codes/1

#GWS 294 #post seven #blog project #transgender studies #gender neutral bathrooms #buildingcodes #genderinclusivespaces #all gender bathrooms

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Post Six: Quick Facts

           This page by the UUA or the Unitarian Universalist Association provides a breakdown of what is included when considering the need and shift to gender neutral restrooms. it discusses that all people can benefit from these spaces especially families because they usually take trips to the bathrooms together and specific rooms structured for privacy allow them to access public restrooms.

           This page is helpful because most of the previous resources just discussed how it is to change a single stalled room into an all gender bathroom when it is possible to have multiple stalls in an all gender bathrooms. For example, women’s restrooms all have stalls so that is an option for half if not all to be gender neutral. Along which physically creating the bathrooms it is important to have some sort of directory so that folks can access where these bathrooms are located nearest to them.

           Part of the construction process is making sure to have proper signage on the door so that it is clear all are welcome. This does not always have to include gendered figures but most commonly there is the male, female, and often the wheelchair. This allows for the understanding that this space was not just created with different genders in mind but also accessibility for people with disabilities.

source

http://www.uua.org/lgbtq/welcoming/ways/bathrooms

#gws 294 #post six #transgender studies #gender neutral bathrooms #AAU #bathroom facts #all gender bathrooms #accessibility

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Post Five: TED Talk by Ivan Coyote                                                                                              

           In this TED Talk, Ivan starts off by saying there needs to be single stall gender neutral bathrooms. Ivan makes the case that it should not be about fitting into male or female bathrooms because some folks are not male or female. Even though they know they can often pass as male most of the time for bathroom purposes it still does not solve the issue of feeling uncomfortable in changing rooms.  They follow that by saying, “And I shouldn't have to use the men's room because I'm not a man. I'm a trans person.” Providing the insight that even if you identify as trans that doesn’t mean you have to fit yourself into a binary especially not for social purposes like bathrooms or locker rooms.

           Another important part of this video is the section about three minutes in when Ivan talks about the new legislation people are attempting to pass saying that people will have to use the bathrooms that match the gender assigned at birth. This creates a whole new list of problems. For example, Ivan is seen as too masculine presenting to be in a female bathroom so the men’s is usually the best option but if this legislation passes then that won’t be an option either.

           An amazing point brought up is how we are going to attempt to police who goes into what bathroom. We usually assume if people are in the ‘right’ bathroom based on how many gender markers we can identify. Stereotypes such as hair length, clothing, or facial hair unfortunately are the first assumption that we know a person’s identity. How will we know what genitals people have walking in? We can’t have everybody stop and be searched or some ridiculous method similar to that. For that reason, Ivan makes the claim that this is all about putting fear in people. This will increase the transphobia people experience and create more dangerous spaces.

           Much like other sources, Ivan appeals to the idea that these single stalled structures as bathrooms which can also double as changing rooms offer a safe space to not only trans folks, but people with disabilities, people with body image issues, or people that don’t fit neatly into the awful boxes that exist in public spaces. Creating single stalled restrooms that also have benches or things like a locker room would have would also be cost efficient in that both things would be in one place so there would be no need for an excuse about needing to pay more to create multiple rooms.

Source:

https://www.ted.com/talks/ivan_coyote_why_we_need_gender_neutral_bathrooms?language=en#t-7076

#gws 294 #post five #ivancoyote #gender neutral bathrooms #teddtalk #personal narrative #transgender studies

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Post Four: “Gender and Family Issues in Planning and Designing Public Restrooms”

           This article by Anthony and Dufresne  breaks down what is called “the restroom revolution” regarding the expansion and prevalence of unisex/ mixed gender/ gender neutral restrooms. The Memorial Union Building at the University of New Hampshire changed both the men’s and women’s bathrooms on the first floor to gender neutral bathrooms which is interesting considering accessibility level being that it is right when you walk in. It is sometimes common for the neutral spaces to be tucked away or something you have to travel to another floor for but in this case segregated bathrooms are the ones you have to go to other floors to find.

           More support is being gained for the single stall method due to overall effectiveness and cost. Yes, it will cost more for an establishment to renovate that already has bathrooms with multiple stalls however for new business and in the long run there were many benefits. These restrooms allow  not only for neutral spaces but are more cost effective when attempting to meet building codes and meet requirements for accessibility since single stalls are usually equipped in that way.

           Legislation such as the International Building Code ,passed in 2003, require that a unisex restroom (also allowed to be used as a family restroom) are required for new buildings or buildings that have existing bathrooms being renovated or added in public spaces like malls, airports, and stadiums. Interestingly, there are building codes that require establishments with six or more water closets, specifically for female or male bathrooms, to provide a unisex restroom. With the expansion of family restrooms we can also have more private stalls versus a one stall neural bathroom.

           Although the article does address possible harassment that trans folks can face when using gendered restrooms, it gave the tone that people who identify as transgender don’t ever feel like they fit in with females or males. This could be problematic because everybody’s experience is different and to say that a person who identifies as male or female absolutely cannot fit in with that gender identity because they also identify as transgender is not fair to use as a blanket statement.

Source:

Anthony, K. H., & Dufresne, M. (2007). Potty parity in perspective: gender and family issues in planning and designing public restrooms. Journal of Planning Literature, 21(3), 267-294.

#gws 294 #post four #transgenderstudies #genderneutral #all gender bathrooms #blog project #internationalbuildingcode #bathroomsafety #singlestallbathrooms

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Post Three: Need for Neutral Spaces on College Campuses

           This source takes a look at the needs of transgender students and gender nonconforming students specifically on college campuses. This expands to more spaces than just restrooms such as housing and locker rooms. It is one thing to have gender neutral facilities present but, importantly, how is knowledge about these spaces being put out there to folks?

           Provided are some steps and tips to campus housing facilities on how to maintain a structure that provides information to students about the accessibility of gender neutral or private spaces.

·         Staff within housing should document/have documentation of rooms that have their own bathrooms and showers

·         For residence halls that do not have their own bathrooms the staff should make it accessible which, if any, bathrooms in the building are gender neutral or private

·         It should be noted if any shower facilities are gender neutral with stalls that lock versus just a curtain

·         Importantly, residence halls need to be aware of cost, meaning making sure students requesting specific neutral spaces aren’t being unfairly charged for this housing

 This source presents reasons that agree and disagree with the single stall situation presented in the previous post. It states that some individuals prefer private rooms, restrooms, changing areas, etc. purely for safety reason both if regardless or not if they are open about their identity as transgender. On the other hand some students who, while they may identify as transgender, don’t prefer to being in LGBTQIA/ queer spaces or neutral spaces because they are not out about their gender identify or feel as though they might not fit in because they identify as heterosexual.  Institutions in states like Maine, Pennsylvania, and California have started offering gender neutral housing options meaning the assignments are made regardless of biological sex. This gives people the option to request roommates of any gender identity.  Structurally this has happened by changing current living spaces due to current residence halls not being set up with majority of the rooms being private.

While bathrooms have been converted using single stalls, locker rooms are a bit trickier. This requires more structural/ physical changes than changing the sign. However, creating locker rooms that are either smaller rooms or the same size prove to be accessible for more than just an individual basis. As the source discussed, this is accessible for trans and gender nonconforming folks, people with children that might be of the opposite gender, and folks with disabilities that might have somebody to help them of a different gender.

Source:

Beemyn, B., Curtis, B., Davis, M., & Tubbs, N. J. (2005). Transgender issues on college campuses. New directions for student services, 111, 49-60.

#gws 294 #post three #gender neutral bathrooms #transgnederstudies #gendernonconforming #college #nuetralspacesoncampus #bathroommap #accessible bathrooms

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Post Two: Starting at the Basics- Movement for Gender Neutral Bathrooms

           The Journal of Property Management released an article in January of 2016 regarding the movement in the trans community to create safer spaces when it comes to restrooms due to lack of ‘federal guidance’ in this matter. The most common solution for this is, as most businesses have done, to make three bathrooms. The idea behind this is that there will be gender neutral, male, and female in hopes that it will be the least ‘controversial’ way of accommodating people.

           Structurally the most common way of having a gender neutral restroom is not by building one with a bunch of stalls like a men’s or women’s bathroom but rather identifying a single stalled bathroom as a gender neutral space. This means usually only changing the markings outside of the room. This is also usually a bathroom for folks with disabilities so that creates an accessible space now for both communities. However, this does not stray away from the idea that simply changing the sign on one room versus creating a bathroom of equal size to other restrooms is taking ‘the easy route’.

These signs are most commonly seen as the male figure next to a female identifies figure however other approaches have been seen as “Male, trans people welcome” or “Female, trans people welcome”. The purpose of this was to specifically be inclusive of trans identified folks however there are cons to this method. Specifically saying trans people are welcome still creates an ‘othering’ factor in the sense that they can’t just enter a bathroom identifying as female alone or the notion that it singles out another identity that is welcome in that bathroom as if their identity as female without mentioning trans with that would not have been welcomed.

This source provided a basic understanding of how the transforming of bathrooms started structurally meaning which bathrooms and what the most common practices have been. Most efforts unfortunately have been carried out only due to what is most cost effective which is why we commonly see a single stall being changed. A question that arose for me while reading this was: if this is tailored specifically to one individual what does this mean for families that have the need for these spaces? If there are only single stalls, how do families navigate these restrooms?

Source:

TRANSGENDERED BATHROOMS. (2016). Journal of Property Management, 81(1), 28. 

#gws 294 #second post #transgnederstudies #genderneutralbathrooms #bathrooms #singlestallbathrooms #navigatinggender #gendernoncon #blogproject

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Post One: Introduction

           All- gender or gender neutral bathrooms not only make this space more accessible to gender nonconforming, trans, and gender variant folks but also step away from the gendered binary structure that restrooms have always been held in. Although the need for these spaces can be more easily explained, many people don’t know the labor and planning that goes into changing the ways we structure restrooms. This labor regarding the work that goes into deciding where to place them to make them accessible, how to physically structure them, how to transition from gendered restrooms, and many other factors. We are now seeing gender neutral bathrooms being expanding to other public spaces instead of just places like college campuses or specific spaces where we are likely to be inclusive of all genders. University of Illinois at Chicago has done a lot of work in the past couple of years to create gender neutral bathrooms and to ensure that they are in most buildings on campus to increase accessibility which is what strikes my interest in the behind the scenes work that goes into these transformations. This blog project will explore more about that kind of work as well as the new social/ public spaces we see all gender restrooms emerging in.

#GWS 294 #introduction #genderneutral #bathrooms #transgenderstudies #allgenderbathrooms #blogproject #accessibility