Going to the bathroom, something often taken for granted by most people, will become a lot easier for transgender students at Vanier College.
The CEGEP unveiled 15 private, non-gendered washrooms on Wednesday, a move that was welcomed by student Cameron Rankin.
“I don’t identify as a woman and I can’t go in a men’s washroom because I feel like people give me dirty looks,” he said. “I sometimes go looking for washrooms that I know aren’t frequently used like in basements or whatever and I sometimes stand outside and wait until people come out.”
The bathrooms are unlocked, something which Vanier Student Services coordinator Victoria Villalba said has big significance.
“Ultimately, those types of things force students to out themselves,” she said. “It forces them to say ‘Hey, I’m trans’ or ‘I’m gender non-conforming, can I please have a key so that I can use the bathroom?’”
Vanier joins Dawson, McGill and Concordia in providing gender-neutral bathrooms to students. Rankin, who helped lobby for the facilities, said they come as a relief.
“You don’t need to worry about what other people think of you,” he said.
