Catholic university in Baguio opens gender-neutral restroom

[Jung Baewon]

 

BAGUIO CITY - Catholic school Saint Louis University (SLU) has opened a gender-neutral restroom to accommodate its diverse student body.

 

Triceayn Prestousa, co-chair of the university's Gender and Development Committee, said this has been a plan of their school president since 2017.

 

“SLU would like to be more inclusive in the accommodation of diverse students,†Prestousa said.

 

Mac Barril, a 3rd year student, said the new restroom has made students like him more comfortable.

 

“Pag magsi-CR po ako, pinipili ko kung saan ako magsi-CR, iyong walang tao. Minsan nilo-lock ko po kasi hindi ko po maiwasang mahiya,†Barril said.

 

Translation: "Whenever I need to use the restroom, I tend to go to ones without people in them. Sometimes I even lock the said restroom out of embarrassment."

 

“Parang na-break na po iyong discrimination at iyong mga students na tulad ko na babaeng manamit, mas magiging comfortable na mag-CR."

 

Translation: "It's as if the discrimination is gone and [male] students who wear women's clothes like me could go to restrooms comfortably."

 

Father Manny Flores, chancellor of the Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral in Baguio, respects the school’s decision but said there are better ways of responding to discrimination aside from providing gender-neutral comfort rooms.

 

“Look into our unity, not on our differences. Such move emphasizes our differences,†he said

 

Saint Louis University said it aims to put gender-neutral restrooms on each floor of its buildings.

 

 

As a student of this university, I've been disappointed by a lot of its administrative decisions so this is a pleasant surprise. I personally disagree with the chancellor's statement. This was done for the sake of the students and employees' so that they'd feel more at ease when using their preferred restroom

 

 

Source: http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/22/18/catholic-university-in-baguio-opens-gender-neutral-restroom

 

Edit: added source

 

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[smrookies girls]

I'm not sure if I understand, it's basically mixed restroom?

[chiirbii]

I'm not sure if I understand, it's basically mixed restroom?

Yup. Sometimes they're private restrooms that only accommodate one person, often branded as family restrooms in the West. Other times they're just typical restrooms with no gender assigned to them so anyone can use them.