The last thing a kid should have to worry about is the bathroom

Making facilities accessible to all students is the only way forward, writes Jenna Tenn-Yuk.

What would you do if you were denied access to the public bathroom?

Having to worry about this seems absurd, but many trans, gender-creative and gender-fluid children and youth have been fighting for access to all-gender bathrooms for many years. Recently, however, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) has announced it will offer all-gender bathrooms (or “universal” as the board is calling them) for students in September.

The bathrooms are single units with a designated sign that will be accessible to everyone, especially students who are questioning their gender identity or in the process of transitioning. These students no longer have to request special permission to use a single-stall bathroom.

These bathrooms would have made a huge difference for students like 12-year-old Alexis Knox, who wasn’t comfortable using the gender-divided bathrooms. She had to ask to use the staff bathroom at her old school, instead of using one where she wouldn’t have to explain herself at the beginning of her transition.

Can you imagine the challenges students like Alexis have faced? School is a difficult enough place when you’re not dealing with your gender identity, fearing how your classmates and teachers will react to your transition and wondering which bathroom you should use.

These fears and struggles can affect young people’s mental health, well-being and safety. Trans youth are one of the most vulnerable and marginalized communities.

In a recent national study out of the University of British Columbia, nearly two-thirds of trans youth say they have experienced discrimination based on their gender identity in the last year and more than one-third have attempted suicide.

Students who feel their identity and needs are validated at school will receive the message that they are important.

There is so much possibility when students can focus on school, instead of worrying about bathrooms. This potential has been created through tireless advocacy by young people, parents and community support workers. They are the true heroes in moving this change forward.

One of the groups that has been advocating for all-gender bathrooms is Family Services Ottawa’s Around the Rainbow program. This program provides direct support to young people who are socially transitioning at schools and their parents. The program staff have been the bridge between families and the school board, actively supporting the board for the past two years to help them put all-gender bathrooms in place.

I have seen the importance of all-gender bathrooms and spaces through my volunteer work with the Ten Oaks Project, an organization that supports children and youth from LGBTQ+ communities through camp. The magic and excitement in their eyes when they don’t have to hide or conform is life-changing and life-saving.

The bathroom should be the least of their worries.

There are other school boards around Canada that have agreed to install all-gender bathrooms, including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Owen Sound and Chatham.

More education and advocacy need to be done to ensure trans, gender-creative and gender-fluid students are able to do everything they want to, just like their cisgender classmates who don’t think twice about which bathroom to use.

All-gender bathrooms are a significant change, but they are only one step. What about change rooms and sports teams? OCDSB is currently looking into creating accessible change rooms for trans students after receiving requests from two high schools, and the demand will only increase.

Every school needs to have all-gender bathrooms because every school has trans, gender-creative and gender-fluid students. This is a step in the right direction, but let’s continue advocating for these accessible spaces to ensure students can focus on school and their potential instead of which bathroom to use.