All-Gender Restrooms
Middlebury students, staff, and faculty deserve safe access to restrooms.
All-gender restrooms are welcome for anyone to use, regardless of gender identity or expression. These restrooms provide an opportunity for members of the Middlebury community to access a restroom that is inclusive of their identity, ability, and family status.
Definitions
- All-Gender Restrooms
- A restroom that can be used by anyone of any sex, gender expression, or gender identity.
- Gender-Specific or Gender-Segregated Bathroom
- A bathroom intended for people who identify with a particular gender (for instance, a women’s room or a men’s room).
- Multi-Stall Bathroom
- A bathroom with multiple toilets and/or urinals.
- Single-Stall Bathroom
- A bathroom with only one urinal and/or toilet that is meant to be used by only one person at a time (unless that person is being accompanied by a parent, family member, and/or attendant).
All-Gender Restroom Locations
There are 15 non-residential buildings that have all-gender restrooms.
- Adirondack House - Center for Careers and Internships
- Armstrong Library
- Athletics Complex
- Axinn Center
- Carr Hall - Anderson Freeman Resource Center
- Centeno House - Parton Center for Health & Wellness
- Chellis House
- Davis Family Library
- Hathaway House - Scott Center
- Hillcrest-Franklin Environmental Center
- McCullough Student Center
- Old Chapel
- Service Building-Student Financial Services
- Sunderland Language Center
- Warner
Resources
Sylvia Rivera Law Project
http://srlp.org/resources/toilet-training-companion-guide-for-activists-…
Transgender Law Center
http://transgenderlawcenter.org/legal/public-accommodations
Frequently Asked Questions
Q Why are all-gender restrooms necessary?
Transgender and gender non-conforming people face harassment, discrimination, and threats of injury and arrest each day as they look for safe places to use the restroom. Restrooms have long been a place where those with authority, power, or wealth deny access to other people.
Despite the Civil Rights Movement and the Americans with Disabilities Act, restrooms continue to be unsafe and inaccessible for some people. Everyone has the right to meet their basic needs in a safe environment, without feeling threatened or intimidated.
Gender policing is when someone is scrutinized, judged, or categorized based on their gender identity and/or gender expression. All-gender restrooms provide an opportunity for our community members to enter a restroom without being questioned or interrogated.
All-gender restrooms are helpful for transgender and gender non-conforming people, families, people with disabilities, and for those that require the help of a friend or personal care attendant.
Q What can I do?
- Educate yourself about this issue in order to be a better, more informed ally.
- Refrain from “gender policing” while using a restroom.
- Refrain from staring, questioning, making someone uncomfortable, or asking someone to leave the restroom.
- Report any “gender policing” or harassment you witness while using an all-gender restroom to Marti McCaleb, Title IX Coordinator, at mmccaleb@middlebury.edu.
- If you have any questions about all-gender restrooms, please contact Janae Due at jdue@middlebury.edu.