New unisex bathrooms added to the JTC building
Unisex bathrooms are the newest edition added last fall in the Jason Technology Building at Delaware Technical Community College, Owens Campus, and everyone is welcomed to use them.
With the help of The Spectrum Club advisor, Leslie Vicente, two bathrooms specified for staff only had been converted to unisex bathrooms. The bathrooms are located in the front and back of the JTC building and are accessible to all who wish to use them, said Vicente.
When she asked transgender students specifically what was important to them on campus, one student said unisex bathrooms, said Vicente.
“I was concerned that as a group we weren’t meeting their needs, and possibly as a college, we weren’t meeting their needs,” said Vicente.
Students said they didn’t feel comfortable using the bathrooms at Delaware Tech, and would sometimes hold it in until they left and went home to use the bathroom, said Vicente.
The issue was there was no place on campus that was not gender specific for students, said Vicente.
“Delaware Tech fully supports students using the bathroom that is associated with their gender with which they identify,” she said
The unisex bathrooms are a good source for not just transgender students, but for any students with an aide assistant, or any student with a child and are useful to all students, said Vicente.
Vicente met with Dean of Affairs Dr. Melissa Rakes, where they spoke about making unisex bathrooms, and with the help of Dr. Rakes, put it in place immediately.
“Her goal is to make sure throughout the college, not just on Owens campus, we have at least one unisex bathroom option available by the start of next semester, ” said Vicente.
Nursing Major Tessie Raab said she had no idea there were unisex bathrooms at Delaware Tech, but understood the importance.
Even though it’s a controversial topic, it’s important that students at Delaware Tech don’t feel judged. It was good that students were voicing their opinion on the topic, said Raab.
Unisex bathrooms should be in every campus, not just Delaware Tech, Raab said.
“The fact that Delaware Tech is standing very firmly behind their students’ right to use the bathroom that is associated with which they identify, is critically important,” said Vicente.
The two unisex bathrooms are located by the computer lab and the bookstore. For more information about the transgender community visit www.glaad.org.
The unisex bathroom is located near the computer lab, where students can see that the bathroom is next to the staff bathroom, with a plain blue sign on top. Photo by L. Parada.