Week of January 26, 2020
Gender-neutrality has been a hot topic of discussion in the news this week. Trending topics this week included schools implementing gender-neutral bathroom policies, laws creating a third “X” gender option, and an embracement of gender-neutral identities in pop culture and media.
This week, the Denver School Board voted to require that all schools in the district provide at least one “all-gender bathroom.” Along with gender-neutral bathrooms, Denver School staff are required to refer to students by their preferred name and pronouns, regardless if their name/gender has been legally changed or not. The Daily Pennsylvanian claims that although the University of Pennsylvania has recently increased the number of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus, there are still not enough that are accessible on campus. The bathrooms have been added in an effort to make trans and non-binary students more comfortable, i.e. making the doors extend from the floor to the ceiling. According to The University Times, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union voted to renew their commitment to establishing gender-neutral bathrooms at college events.
Along with promoting gender-neutral bathrooms, schools are working on providing free pads/tampons. The Q-Center at the University of Washington provides free pads/tampons and uses gender-neutral language for other free items, such as referring to female condoms as “internal condoms”. The Purdue University Senate Equity and Diversity Committee created a proposal that would not only offer free menstrual hygiene products but also allow students to choose an “X” option for their gender on all university forms. Meanwhile, Massachusetts Legislature recently forwarded a bill requiring middle and high schools to provide pads/tampons in female and gender-neutral restrooms.
Other schools are pushing for more gender-neutral policies. A high school in Braintree, Massachusetts is attempting to switch over to gender-neutral graduation gowns that aren’t color-coordinated by gender. However, gender-neutral policies don’t necessarily stop gender-stereotypes. Girls for Gender Equity observed that policing of young girls’ bodies still occurred when enforcing dress-codes even though the New York City’s Department of Education requires schools to use “gender-neutral” language in its rules.
Protecting nonbinary people with gender-neutral laws was another important topic in this week’s
news cycle. Dana Zzyym, an intersex and nonbinary Navy veteran, has been attempting to receive their
passport for 5 years now. Zzyym needs their passport to travel for international conferences about intersex issues but has been denied any gender-neutral options for their passport. While federal judges have ruled in favor for three separate rulings, the State Department in Colorado has consistently demanded that Zzyym chooses a male/female option for their passport. Connecticut and Nebraska’s DMVs now offer “X” as a gender identity of ID cards. But in Connecticut, minors need parental consent when selecting “X” as their gender identity.
Non-binary visibility and gender-neutrality through pop culture and media was another large topic this week. Both Vogue Australia and Vogue India published pieces on nonbinary celebrities and their expressions of gender. These articles also highlighted how countries with gendered language across the globe are creating more gender-neutral language. Gender-neutral options are also coming to Emojis, with a gender-neutral Santa, person holding a baby, and a person in a tuxedo. Netflix’s children show, Chip & Potato also featured gender-neutral bathrooms with “matching rainbow-colored circles with the image of a toilet in the center.” There also was an article about the video game Temtem offering gender-neutral options for players, such as picking pronouns and being able to mix clothing, hairstyles, body types, and voices as the player wishes. The article urged other video games to follow in Temtem’s lead.