To me, a gender-neutral restroom is...

Este artigo foi escrito como resposta a uma das perguntas do formulário sobre casas de banho neutras. O formulário foi criado por vários grupos queer, incluindo o OutCiências. Também podes contribuir com a tua opinião preenchendo-o!

This essay was written as a response to a question in the form on gender neutral restrooms. The form was developed by several queer groups, including OutCiências. You can contribute with your opinion on the topic by filling it out too!

To me, a gender-neutral restroom is essential in faculties.

Gendered restrooms lead to both gender policing and the erasure of nonbinary people. Gender policing can cause people to be harassed verbally and physically, and disproportionately affects nonbinary and trans people. But anyone who doesn't conform to the gender restroom they're using may become a target. For nonbinary people, it is even more problematic because there are no restroom options for them. This absence forces them to choose a restroom where they aren't welcome or not use any. Both options are bad.

Faculties should strive to provide a mental and physically healthy environment for everyone. Young adults present higher rates of mental health issues, meaning there should be a greater focus on reducing their incidence in spaces with many young adults. Since exposure to gender policing and social erasure worsens mental health, offering gender-neutral restrooms in faculties helps reduce this incidence. When people don't feel safe or comfortable using gendered restrooms, they tend to avoid their use. On the account of this behaviour, they may develop urinary tract and kidney diseases, which can be fatal.

Having gender-neutral restrooms in faculties is easy to accomplish and there are precedents in the Portuguese higher education facilities, such as ESMAE (Escola Superior de Música e de Artes do Espetáculo). Faculties have several sets of gendered restrooms. Transforming a single-gendered restroom into a gender-neutral one would not have any monetary cost. The impact on the cis population would be minimal. The remaining gendered restrooms could still be used by those who prefer them. For the population affected by the absence of gender-neutral options (namely trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people), it would mean a great improvement in their life at the faculty and overall health.

So, how much longer until FCUL creates gender-neutral restrooms?‍‍

‍‍Maria Fidalgo