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Gender-Specific Facilities in Schools
Senior Capstone Project by Isabella Tatem-Welch '22
Overview
Overview
This year, I decided that my senior social justice project at Fontbonne would be concerning the lack of accessibility for non-cisgender students in and outside of the Fontbonne community. As the rate of suicide among LGBTQIA+ youth continues to rise, I hope to make change within my school community by proposing the implementation of an all-gender bathroom at my historically women's high school. Among the many rights of trans and gender non-conforming students that I have researched that are often violated, the one that stood out to me the most was the issue of bathroom inequity. What is bathroom inequity? Ben Garbow says that, "“The target may be different, but the desired result is the same: to make a specific group of people unwelcome in public space, but for as long as restrooms have been instruments of exclusion, their conception as being intrinsically tied to gender is relatively short. In fact, public restrooms have only been separated by gender since the mid-1800s.” In short, the right to public facilities that align with one's gender identity is an unalienable right- and this right is being violated.
FAQ
FAQ
What is social justice?
Social justice is defined as, "justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society."
How is this a social injustice?
The use of gendered language, especially in historically women's/men's schools , and lack of all-gendered facilities are an infringement on the rights of transgender youth. Trans youth cannot grow and thrive in an environment in which their identity is not celebrated. Statistics from The Trevor Project show that LGBTQIA+ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their cisgender and straight peers.
How does this affect you?
When a marginalized group such as transgender students are denied of rights aligned with their inherent dignity, they are also denied of the resources they need to thrive in an a school or work environment. Transgender students do not have the time to worry about their math test fifth period when they don't have access to a bathroom that aligns with their gender identity. Productivity among everybody within a work environment is often disrupted and stunted when employees are not allowed the resources they need to thrive.
What are organizations I can support?
The Trevor Project, The National Center for Transgender Equality, Trans Student Educational Resources, Human Rights Campaign
An article by The Trevor Project about how suicide rates are rising among LGBTQIA+ students.
Questions?
Questions?
Contact isabella.tatemwelch@fontbonneboston.org to get more information on the project
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