The other week print outs started appearing on the doors to the restrooms around campus highlighting issues that transgender or gender non-conforming people face when they need to use the bathroom. You also may have heard chants of “free to pee” from a group of students marching through the HUB in an attempt to raise further awareness. So why is this an important issue?

For cisgender or gender conforming people, going to the bathroom is not something they think about much on a daily basis; it’s just a part of one’s daily routine. But for transgender or gender non-conforming people, which restroom they use can be a source of fear and anxiety.

Not only are there the potential questioning looks from other people using the restroom, which can make one feel uncomfortable, but there have been cases of physical or verbal confrontation. Imagine every time you went to the bathroom having to choose between feeling safe or acting in accordance with your gender identity. This  is one choice that should not have to be made.

Just this week, President Obama announced the installation of a gender neutral bathroom at the White House. I now encourage Dickinson to do the same. If not making all of the restrooms on campus gender neutral, then at the very least gender neutral restrooms should be available everywhere there is a gender specific restroom.

Dickinson prides itself on being an inclusive community. Let’s make sure that applies even in the less visible areas of campus, such as the restrooms.