If you do not identify with your biological sex, which bathroom do you choose? Men’s room? Women’s room? For some members of the College community, a simple answer to this question may be difficult since transgendered people may not feel comfortable with either of these options.

The issue of gender-neutral bathrooms is not a new one for the College. This past December, the Queer Coalition of Vassar College (QCVC) held an open discussion entitled “Gender-Segregated Bathrooms: The Problem,” in which members put forth a “priority list” of spaces on campus in need of gender-neutral restrooms. Recently, the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council passed a resolution urging the College to recognize the need for gender-neutral bathrooms in academic and administrative buildings, an encouraging step taken by Council to improve the on-campus situation of transgender students and members of the Vassar community.

It appears that the College is preparing to undertake this task. According to Associate Dean of the College and Director of Equal Opportunity Belinda Guthrie, the College is planning to designate new gender neutral bathrooms in academic, administrative, and other buildings by the end of the semester. These buildings will still have gender-specific bathrooms as well, but at least one gender-neutral restroom will be available in each building.

This is not the first action on the part of the College that demonstrates an understanding that the false dichotomy of “male” and “female” is no longer sufficient for sex and gender identification. When the incoming Class of 2010 filled out their physical forms for Health Services, they were not required to check off one of two boxes to indicate gender, but were given a line on which to write their own answer. Students can also change their identified gender on their academic records at the Office of the Registrar without legal proof of a sex change operation, so long as the individual is committed to the identity they provide in the form.

Vassar added gender identity and expression to its nondiscrimination policy last spring, which encompasses students and employees alike. Although there is not an overwhelmingly large number of College community members who do not identify with being male or female, decisions such as the change in the nondiscrimination policy and a move toward gender-neutral bathrooms symbolize Vassar’s commitment to building a campus that makes people of all identities and backgrounds comfortable.

Several other colleges are currently confronting the same issue. Harvard University, which already makes gender-neutral housing available to students, is regularizing its housing process to include designated gender-neutral suites and to add “transgender” as an alternative to male and female on housing forms. Wesleyan University also has universally gender-neutral housing and has incorporated gender-neutral bathrooms into campus buildings. Similar decisions have been made at Swarthmore, Amherst, MIT, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania within the last few years.

Additionally, last November New York City considered a proposal to allow individuals to change the sex on their birth certificate without proof of sex change, a move that was spearheaded by Vassar alumnus Michael Silverman ’91, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund. Though this was ultimately turned down, the fact that this debate was taking place to begin with is indicative of a wider awareness of gender identification issues and, hopefully, a step forward in the process of acceptance and understanding.

In light of debates that have been taking place both at institutions of higher education and on a national scale, Vassar is now taking the right steps to embrace gender-neutrality.

The Staff Editorial represents at least a two-thirds majority of the 20-member Editorial Board.