By Jennifer Marbley

A Resolution in Support of Gender Inclusive Restrooms — the Associated Students of the University of Nevada Senate resolution 82-111 — is being considered by the university administration for implementation across campus. The senate resolution was passed by ASUN during a senate meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

Several proposed changes will allocate six single-stalled family restrooms to become gender-inclusive restrooms if accepted by university administration. The ASUN resolution would allow any student to access the facility, regardless of their gender identity.

Resolution 82-111 targets six restrooms located in the Joe Crowley Student Union, the Jot Travis Building and the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center. The goal is to have a gender-inclusive restroom in all buildings on campus in the future. The restrooms’ signs would be changed from “family restrooms” to “gender-inclusive” restrooms.

The changes proposed by ASUN can affect transgender students who are forced to pick between using male and female restrooms. Dozens of University of Nevada, Reno students attended the meeting to voice their support the resolution. Students at the ASUN Senate meeting expressed the intimidation some students feel by choosing to identify between gender binaries.

Sen. Raina Benford of the Division of Health Sciences was inspired to create a change on campus regarding gender-inclusive restrooms while visiting Oregon State University where they are already provided. She said that she would be proud to see UNR join other progressive schools by including gender-neutral bathrooms in buildings on campus.

“The resolution is important because it positively affects so many people and not just those at Nevada now, but students years from now,” Benford said.

The legislation will be sent to UNR President Marc Johnson, Provost Kevin Carman and Vice President of Student Services Dr. Shannon Ellis for further review before it can be implemented on campus.

Jennifer Marbley can be reached at jmarbley@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @MissMarbley.