EAST CENTRAL — Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate will be receiving washroom upgrades, including new pipes, closed in cubicles and conversion to gender neutral use.
The board approved the use of $150,000 of the federal capital tuition deferred revenue for renovations of the washrooms during the 2019 to 2020 fiscal year.
The washrooms are designed to be closed-in, locking cubicles that are their own small room. This is opposed to the previous layout of stalls. There is a shared handwashing area.
Don Rempel, director of education for the North East School Division said the change to the washrooms is for a safe and caring inclusive environment.
“There was a time in Melfort when the industrial arts wing only had boys washrooms, because girls didn’t take shop 50 years ago, so it’s a needed update there,” Rempel said. “Schools are a lot different now in their building standards and expectations than when they were built 50 years ago. We’re playing catch-up a little bit with some of our older models.”
Rempel said until now there were only boys and girls washrooms in the school, resulting in no marked area for non-binary students and staff to use washroom.
He also added that this isn’t the case for schools built now.
“When we replace or upgrade something, we try to bring it to current standards.”
Ben Lindsay, youth and sexual health co-ordinator with OUTSaskatoon, said having gender neutral washrooms are important for non-binary individuals.
“I’m a non-binary individual, so gender neutral washrooms are very close to my heart,” Lindsay said. “Navigating where I should go to the bathroom really shouldn’t be all that difficult. Like anyone else, I like, other trans people, just want to do my business and get out. The same as anyone else using the washroom.”
Lindsay said that as someone who isn’t male or female, gender neutral washrooms are the best option for them.
“Not all trans people, like myself, fit into the boxes of man or woman. So there needs to be a space where folks can kind of just go in, go out and do their business and feel safe and affirmed and validated, just like anyone else.”
By only having a boys and girls options, they said it alienates non-binary students.
“They might feel uncomfortable going in a bathroom that’s essentially just saying it’s not for them. When the washrooms are male or female when you’re not male or female, it’s just very apparent that’s not a space designated for you.”
Lindsay added that gender neutral washrooms are useful for other trans students who are male or female but may have a fear of being harassed or attacked in gendered washrooms.
Rempel said the inspiration for the design was that the schools were out of date.
“We look at where we can make the biggest impact to make a positive environment for our students,” Rempel said. “And that’s what we got to do.”
