Colleges start installation of gender neutral toilets

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology is introducing gender neutral toilets at its campus on the Dublin Road.

The college’s Centre for Creative Arts and Media (CCAM) on the Monivea Road was the first campus in the country to have such bathrooms installed.

GMIT Students’ Union President, Amy Kelly, said: “Last year during my role as Vice President for Welfare, I was approached by students who felt uncomfortable using current toilets on campus. But now we have a facility that is more inclusive for all students and staff.”

Speaking about the costs of these bathrooms, she added that the college are improving existing toilets on campus so there is very little cost involved.

“We are simply upgrading facilities and putting new signage on the door. It is very difficult to put a cost on an individual’s wellbeing,” she said. The process in GMIT has started and will be finished in the coming weeks.

The Students Union in NUI Galway also campaigned for gender neutral toilets last year and in June 2016, the college began to introduce one in each building across the campus.

This was rolled out this past academic year and was a success, according to Vice President/Education Officer Cathal Sherlock. Mr Sherlock explained that to trans and non-binary students of NUI Galway, the development has been highly beneficial.

Trans and non-binary students “feel they’re more welcome” with the introduction of these gender neutral toilets, he said.

He added that students may have been in fear that they would be attacked and so would have waited to use the toilet at home instead.