{"id":167200,"date":"2024-05-01T12:10:56","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T10:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=167200"},"modified":"2026-01-20T09:57:46","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T08:57:46","slug":"university-council-aims-to-halve-number-of-all-gender-toilets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2024\/05\/01\/university-council-aims-to-halve-number-of-all-gender-toilets\/","title":{"rendered":"University Council aims to halve number of all-gender toilets"},"content":{"rendered":"

The University Council has submitted a proposal to the Executive Board on the locations and number of all-gender toilets, which are toilets everyone is allowed to use. At the initiative of member Joseph Ayinla, the University Council is calling on the Executive Board to spread the toilets more widely and halve their number.<\/p>\n

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Female students in particular struggle with the concept of gender-neutral toilets. \u201cMuslim women wearing headscarves, for example, don\u2019t feel safe in the toilets because they might encounter men there\u201d, Ayinla says.<\/p>\n

In the summer of 2023, all-gender toilets were installed in eleven buildings across campus Woudestein. It was a simple transformation: the signs on the doors were replaced with \u2018all gender\u2019 stickers with images of urinals and\/or toilets. In response to complaints, University Council members Nawin Ramcharan and Joseph Ayinla (both of the Liberi Erasmi party) submitted a twofold proposal.<\/p>\n

From 28 to 14 toilets<\/h2>

Of the 159 toilets on campus Woudestein, 28 are all-gender. The University Council proposes reducing this to half that number. \u201cThis way, we can repurpose the other half as toilets for women again\u201d, says Ramcharan.<\/p>\n

The University Council\u2019s proposal is based in part on a pilot study conducted by Utrecht University. The study found that many women are uncomfortable with all-gender toilets and often prefer toilets without urinals. \u201cThese findings are consistent with the complaints we\u2019ve received from fellow students\u201d, says Ramcharan.<\/p>\n\n\t

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