Gender-neutral bathrooms
At the beginning of each year (possibly each semester?), every floor of every dorm (or, every co-op) has a meeting to discuss whether or not they want their bathrooms to be gender-neutral. If they vote yes (which they typically do), men, women, and everyone in-between can use the bathrooms. If they vote no, the bathrooms are designated "men" or "women". There can also be variations on this, such as gender-neutral stalls but women-only showers, and the E System for showers.
[edit] Pros
- safe place for transgendered/gender-neutral people to be; doesn't force anyone to choose one or the other
- more convenient, especially on floors of all one gender (without gender-neutral bathrooms, friends of other genders must wander around for a bathroom when visiting friends)
- it's been said that gender-neutral bathrooms balance out the extremes of smells produced by men (b.o., uncleanliness) and women (various and sundry scented things) so neither is overpowering
- greater sense of community.
- exposure to the humanity of the other sex. Yes, ladies, shaving does take a while. Yes, guys, we wash our armpits too.
- more shower sex?
[edit] Cons
- some people may be uncomfortable being seen in their towels by a different-gendered person
- some people dislike the idea of the using the bathroom with members of different genders in the room
- men are generally grosser and can leave the sinks messy
- women may defy that stereotype by leaving their foul lady-products on top of the little bathroom bins and not in the bags inside of the bins.
- more sex in the showers?
