Opinion | New restroom, same problems

Olivia Harden
Opinions Editor

On Sept. 11, Dean of Students Jerry Price announced in his weekly email the installment of a new single-user gender inclusive restroom on the first floor of Argyros Forum.

This addition is a pretty big deal. Transgender students and advocates have been pushing the administration for more gender-inclusive restrooms on campus for at least the last two years that I have been on campus. Despite the efforts made by student activists, Chapman had no plans to add any single-user restrooms to buildings that were not being renovated or built, yet a new restroom has found its way inside Argyros Forum.

While writing this piece, I had to think about my objective. I don’t want to speak for transgender voices about genderqueer issues. I don’t want to tell you what issues transgender students face. Students like ‘17 alumna Landyn Pan and junior Kyler Asato have already written columns that can speak far more to that than I can. Rather, I’d like to discuss Chapman’s flaws when it comes to listening to students’ voices.

I am grateful that the administration listened to students, and that it was willing to problem-solve. In the past, Price said that no new bathrooms were being added to older buildings because of plumbing. By thinking outside the box, Price and others involved in the project were finally able to meet students’ needs.
“We found out if we shifted one of (Sodexo’s) offices, we can make two restrooms, side-by-side – one for the public and one for the employees,” Price said.
But someone’s need to feel comfortable using a public restroom is a basic one that should have been met with more urgency.

The new single-use restroom is one of 12 on Chapman’s campus, including Residence Life areas. Students, staff and faculty who do not feel comfortable using binary-defined bathrooms or who don’t look the part of typical gender-defined roles should not be subjected to long walks across campus to find somewhere to relieve themselves. The Student Union, typically viewed as the hub of campus life, did not have somewhere for its transgender population to pee inside.

The news was in Price’s weekly announcements, but the lengthy email is often skimmed, and there hasn’t been much attention brought to the restroom at all. There aren’t even signs to let anyone know it’s in the building. Price referred to this as a “pre-opening,” but this information could easily be made more accessible.

Supporting transgender students should not be controversial. If it was possible to find a way to make the plumbing work in Argyros Forum, there may be ways to add more restrooms across campus. The key to this is urgency and the willingness to empathize with student concerns. Instead of just saying it’s not possible, find out if it really is possible.

Students had to ask for a Cross-Cultural Center for more than a decade before it was built. In the era of President Daniele Struppa, the center was created in no time. I hope that all faculty and administration will actively and urgently work toward progress with marginalized communities on this campus.