Gender-neutral washrooms coming to UPEI

The University of Prince Edward Island is creating new gender-neutral washrooms on campus.

We're being proactive in trying to continue to make UPEI an inclusive campus for all.- Greg Clayton, UPEI

Currently the university has separate washrooms for men and women, but a group of staff and students, including the student union, want washrooms that would be open to anyone. The request came in particular to accommodate people who are transgendered.

UPEI director of facilities management Greg Clayton said the university administration decided to go ahead with the idea after he made a presentation on Friday.

"I gave them a little background about what other universities are doing around the region, and then talked about some possible solutions here at UPEI," said Clayton.

"It's just showing that we listened to the concerns from the campus and that we're being proactive in trying to continue to make UPEI an inclusive campus for all."

The university will be converting most of the 12 single-stall washrooms on campus. Other washrooms will remain separate for men and women. 

Clayton said the university will be educating people on campus about why these changes are being made.