![Benjamin Williams and Reese Sherman, social studies teachers, explain department information a guest. "This [open house] was, for me, a great opportunity to meet family in the district that will soon be attending the high school," Williams said.](https://www.utimesonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/DSC_9117-1200x800.jpg)
Some may wonder what an all-gender bathroom is and what they’re used for. “All-gender bathrooms” are also known as unisex bathrooms and have become more common over the past two decades. An all-gender bathroom is for the purpose of students or teachers, no matter their gender identity, to use. It’s a change for the students so they can all feel comfortable while using the bathroom. But this change didn’t happen overnight.
“There were several concerns expressed by multiple parties, mainly one being the board of education, superintendent and students about accessibility to restrooms for transgender students,” Dr. Michael Peoples, principal and director of secondary education, said. “And that’s what opened the door for dialogue and got us to begin thinking about how to accommodate all of our students.”
According to the Missouri Independent, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones signed an executive order at the end of May 2023 seeking to counteract recent state attempts on restrictions to transgender healthcare and school sports participation. In her explanation, she wrote, “The responsibility now falls to local governments to take tangible steps to respond to this state intrusion into private family medical decisions and minors’ bodily privacy.” U. City plans to follow suit and ensure our students are included and welcomed regardless of their gender.
“We have an increasing number of transgender students and the district has taken a pledge to be a comprehensive district as it relates to all nationalities, race, color and sexual orientation so forth and so on,” Ernest Carter, associate principal, said.
And with the all gender bathrooms came many benefits. Before the school made this adjustment students would go to the nurses office to use the bathroom, and it would cause a lot of traffic in her office. So when they added these bathrooms, this problem not only disappeared but students were better accommodated.
“I love the all gender bathrooms,” Kailea Shegog, senior, said. “They’re really good. I love that I just don’t have one bathroom to use because I was just using the family bathroom in the nurses’ office.”
Ever since they added these bathrooms a lot of our students started to feel more comfortable. And many our LGBTQIA+ students have appreciated having these bathrooms.
“My opinion on the all gender bathroom is that I think that they’re a really good addition, because I don’t feel comfortable going to the mens bathroom and I legally can’t go to the women’s bathroom,” Angie Collins, sophomore, said. So personally I feel very happy that there’s a bathroom I can go to.”
However, when we only have so much space in a building that has been around since 1930, there has to be a sacrifice of something. And to implement the all-gender bathrooms they had to get rid of the private teacher bathrooms.
“Personally I think it’s a good thing for everybody to have a place where they can feel comfortable and have a place to go,” Andrew Clark, science teacher, said. “So if it had to be, that’s what it has to be. If it’s for the students, then we’re rocking with the students on that.”
The popular sentiment around school is wanting to keep the students’ best interests at heart.
“I think they’re a good idea because they offer privacy for just the average person,” Dr. Pamela Lester, science teacher, said. “So I like that the option is there for the people that feel like they need it and aren’t comfortable with using the other multi-stall restrooms.”