{"id":70650,"date":"2017-05-10T09:54:41","date_gmt":"2017-05-10T07:54:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/2017\/05\/10\/university-college-opent-wel-genderneutrale-toiletten\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:46","slug":"university-college-opent-wel-genderneutrale-toiletten-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2017\/05\/10\/university-college-opent-wel-genderneutrale-toiletten-2\/","title":{"rendered":"University College to open gender-neutral toilets"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Bordje bij een genderneutraal toilet op de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>

This Thursday, Erasmus University College (EUC) will be opening gender-neutral toilets on the ground floor of its building on Nieuwemarkt. The men\u2019s and women\u2019s symbols will be replaced with a gender-neutral symbol and the urinals will be closed off.<\/p>\n

The LGBT network Erasmus Pride recently argued for realising gender-neutral toilets at Woudestein Campus. An EUR spokesperson informed EM<\/em> that the University presently wasn\u2019t interested in taking this measure due to the limited demand for such facilities. But they take a different view at EUC. This Thursday evening, the University College will be converting the men\u2019s and women\u2019s toilets on the ground floor into gender-neutral facilities.<\/p>\n

\u2018Everyone is welcome\u2019<\/h3>
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Het bordje dat het EUC gebruikt bij de genderneutrale toiletten.<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

\u201cThe idea originated with our students and has been in the pipeline for some time,\u201d says Iris Bos, who oversees various diversity projects at EUC. \u201cIt\u2019s a coincidence that we\u2019re opening the toilets so soon after Erasmus Pride\u2019s call to action.\u201d<\/p>\n

The toilets aren\u2019t specifically reserved for transgenders, but open to everyone. EUC wants to send a message or acceptance and inclusion with this measure. \u201cThe standard label of \u2018male\u2019 or \u2018female\u2019 doesn\u2019t necessarily fit for some people. We want to show this minority that there\u2019s a place for them here too,\u201d says Bos. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019ve located these toilets on the ground floor, rather than in the basement, for example. This clearly communicates that at EUC, everyone is welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Urinals<\/h3>

Bos isn\u2019t sure whether the EUC student body actually includes people who would prefer to use the gender-neutral toilets in connection with their gender identity. They didn\u2019t look into this. \u201cAnd to be honest, it doesn\u2019t really matter. We expect everyone will use the facilities like any other toilet. Which means that people who don\u2019t feel secure enough to explicitly come out as gender-neutral won\u2019t have to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Erasmus Pride proposed simply replacing the symbols on the toilet doors, EUC has taken things a step further. \u201cWe won\u2019t be tearing down walls,\u201d explains Bos, \u201cbut we will be closing up the urinals on the ground floor so that they can no longer be used.\u201d<\/p>\n

The toilets will be officially opened on Thursday, around 19.30, during the elections of the Board of the College\u2019s student association EUCSA.<\/p>\n

Read more about gender-neutral toilets<\/h2>