Interpretation is half the battle when trying to understand a concept or idea. Vague statements can cause quite a commotion, especially through a computer screen. Change is never ending, but the students of California State University, Stanislaus deserve well thought-out explanations of why things happen on campus.
Last week, Facilities Services of CSU Stanislaus sent out an email to all students, faculty and staff announcing there are now nine “gender neutral” bathrooms on campus. They are placed all throughout the school in five different locations.
The Facilities Services stated in it’s email, “We hope that this change signals the respect that we have for every member of the campus community.” This is a very broad statement, and it does not explain exactly why they made these changes.
The description of the new restrooms was confusing and made it sound as if there were multiple stalls in one big bathroom catering to both men and women. The email was too vague, and should have given a clearer explanation of what these restrooms are. How did they make this decision, who decided it and how much money, if any, did it cost the university? These are three vital questions left unanswered.
Now, how exactly was this whole idea brought up? Were there complaints by various students or faculty regarding the lack of gender neutral restrooms? Ambiguity was the main result of this short, undetailed email and it left me very confused. I for one, do not see the point in having them.
I fully respect those who are not afraid to be who they are and stand up for what is right, but that does not mean universities need to specifically tend to individual needs at the expense of university resources.
Overall, although it’s a nice idea for some, we do not need gender neutral bathrooms on campus. On top of that, we especially don’t need changes like this to occur without any explanation whatsoever, or facts to support it. This is our school; we deserve to know what is going on around us at all times.