2008 Woodie Awards
College working hard to implement Gender Neutral Housing policy
Jenn Lavelle
Issue date: 4/5/07 Section: News
On March 15, Student Council unanimously voted in favor of a Gender Neutral Housing Proposal drafted by Adrian Shanker '09, Co-President of Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). The proposal was introduced to Council by Rachel Rosenberg '07, Vice President of Student Council. The resolution is being sent to Karen Green, Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs, and Jan Schumacher, Director of Residential Services.
A committee will also review the proposal to find the best solution for gender neutral housing at the College. The final decision will go before the Board of Trustees hopefully by the Fall 2007 meeting.
The proposal requests gender neutral housing on campus for all housing options except for first year dorms (because one cannot easily choose a roommate), and East and Martin Luther (because of potential bathroom difficulty). Members of GSA believe that students should have a gender neutral housing option available to them. It will not be part of any freshman living situation or matchmaker program.
Part of the impetus for this proposal was the redrafting of the College's nondiscrimination policy in 2005 to include gender identity. Since the nondiscrimination policy was revised to include gender, many students felt that other College policies could be extended to take gender identity into account. "Gender neutral housing allows for student rights and student safety," said Shanker. Because most college students are over 18, they should be able to choose their roommates despite gender. It is also a safety issue because, according to the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, at least 50 youths under the age of 30 have been murdered since 1996 because of their gender identity, which is not considered a hate crime by the U.S. government. Hopefully, gender neutral living options on campus would protect gay, lesbian, transgender and gender nonconforming students from unwarranted discrimination or harassment.
"This unanimous vote is representative of the very broad student support for equality and gender neutral housing at the College," said Shanker.
A committee will also review the proposal to find the best solution for gender neutral housing at the College. The final decision will go before the Board of Trustees hopefully by the Fall 2007 meeting.
The proposal requests gender neutral housing on campus for all housing options except for first year dorms (because one cannot easily choose a roommate), and East and Martin Luther (because of potential bathroom difficulty). Members of GSA believe that students should have a gender neutral housing option available to them. It will not be part of any freshman living situation or matchmaker program.
Part of the impetus for this proposal was the redrafting of the College's nondiscrimination policy in 2005 to include gender identity. Since the nondiscrimination policy was revised to include gender, many students felt that other College policies could be extended to take gender identity into account. "Gender neutral housing allows for student rights and student safety," said Shanker. Because most college students are over 18, they should be able to choose their roommates despite gender. It is also a safety issue because, according to the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, at least 50 youths under the age of 30 have been murdered since 1996 because of their gender identity, which is not considered a hate crime by the U.S. government. Hopefully, gender neutral living options on campus would protect gay, lesbian, transgender and gender nonconforming students from unwarranted discrimination or harassment.
"This unanimous vote is representative of the very broad student support for equality and gender neutral housing at the College," said Shanker.