Stanislaus State has taken steps toward creating a more inclusive campus environment by increasing the number of all-gender restrooms on campus. The effort is part of the University’s ongoing commitment to ensure everyone feels comfortable and respected while using campus facilities.
Before this year, there were eight gender-neutral bathrooms but currently, there are 25 all-gender restrooms at the Turlock campus and three at the Stockton Campus.
Bianca Madrigal, administrative support coordinator at the Warrior Cross Culture Center (WCCC) and 2016 Stan State graduate, supports the recent additions.
“When I was a student, I didn’t recall any all-gender restrooms, but after coming back to work in the library and taking a tour, I was impressed with them. It blew me away.”
With these additional restrooms, an updated campus map highlights the locations of existing all-gender restrooms as well as several more still in development. Students have shown interest and gratitude, such as fourth-year anthropology major, Adrianna Lomas who works at the WCCC.
“I didn’t know we have 25 all-gender restrooms now. That’s cool,” Lomas said. “I tend to use the all-gender restrooms here in the Library Building instead of the binary restrooms on campus mainly because they feel more inclusive. I never felt like there needed to be a separation of the two. We’re all just there to use the restroom.”
The restrooms are designed to provide a safe and welcoming space for individuals of all gender identities and expressions. The facilities feature fully enclosed private stalls with locking doors to ensure users’ privacy and comfort.
In September, Gov. Newsom signed a law that requires K-12 schools in California to provide all-gender restrooms by 2025. While the law doesn’t apply to colleges or universities, Stan State was ahead of the curve and the decision to install all-gender restrooms reflects a growing trend in higher education institutions across the United States. These facilities aim to address the discomfort and discrimination individuals of diverse gender identities may face when using gender-specific restrooms.
- Adam Devitt, Assistant Professor of Teacher Education
Adam Devitt, kinesiology professor and director of the LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program, believes the bathrooms are necessary for students, staff and faculty.
“Regardless of their gender, people should be able to make the choice to use whichever restroom they identify with, without feeling uncomfortable,” Devitt said. “The new all-gender restrooms are made for everyone. The only rule is to wash your hands, and that’s how restrooms should be.”
Theodore Alvarez, a third-year child development student currently working at the WCCC, appreciates the new facilities.
“As a transgender individual, I have friends who are also trans who tell me they don’t feel safe using gendered restrooms, so they go to the ones in the Library,” Alvarez said.
“I feel like the all-gender restrooms initiative brings awareness to the community, but I think we can also do much more,” said Polet Diaz, coordinator of the WCCC’s Dreamers Project. “For example, we can create training for faculty and staff to be aware and learn more about the LGBTQ community and create more events and opportunities where we can meet students and learn more about their identities or experiences.”
Currently, the Library is the only building on the Turlock campus with multiple all-gender stalls. Another space in the library has been created to support inclusivity for students who are parents. Three restrooms have been converted into parenting rooms in Turlock and a parenting room added at the Stockton Campus. An online map highlights parenting rooms locations in the Vasché Library, Science 1 and the University Student Center.
For more information on the parenting rooms and how to access them, users can request the use of the Science 1 Building Room 123-A, by completing the online form. For those looking for the all-gender bathrooms in the University Student Center, simply go to the front desk at the bottom store and ask the student receptionist.
