https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/62030/archive/files/a7a3b81f496870d797170a347de635d1.pdf?Expires=1782345600&Signature=eKvMJMkN%7EbEUk41HwZwasl8uFBtLttuCFvuwGcPzhj1MyA7UIfDjwceZ9yTdlCfk3RO280uUqhL6tI2iax3XKHY5Yiwz-287E5P0naRq-GrXypqcOieAOyAdlKLa4JbuoP3WXA7%7EDWg12srRDvxdB2-8U0tM71msF0kwdGypGyfAJpF8dVvRTJt2%7E0FG0YBj2jXX8%7ENDdYwiKCrQJ7p032-jvHEUDZWMoyxNtztdlUp6yHMpeSeYrmDQapqkPnU9slKCoyPRg6ROGyRdZPO8K67vF6z7Qipj0xT4R6LKy8jr8Gc0Gy2uxnJw5RinQJ8dWtjmTZC0C2tbeIGirlKV%7Eg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 9711207abf9fffd80ff5bd89d3993afc PDF Text Text 11/6/21, 12:09 AM Accidental “re-gendering” of washrooms prompts discussion of systemic transphobia at McGill - The McGill Daily The McGill Daily LING 210 dropouts since 1911 Accidental “re-gendering” of washrooms prompts discussion of systemic transphobia at McGill “McGill continues to fail trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming students,” says student by Angelina Mazza / February 1, 2021 Like 32 Tweet Eve Cable When Rine Vieth, PhD candidate in Anthropology, went on campus for a doctor’s appointment on January 12, they noticed new restroom signs displayed on the third floor of the Brown Building. Doors that had once indicated the presence of single-stalled all-gender washrooms https://www.mcgilldaily.com/2021/02/59468/ 1/6 �11/6/21, 12:09 AM Accidental “re-gendering” of washrooms prompts discussion of systemic transphobia at McGill - The McGill Daily now featured additional labels – posters with gender-specific symbols, below a message that read “Prevention measures in effect.” Vieth tweeted images of the signs and shared their frustration with what appeared to be the University’s “re-gendering” of the washrooms.  “It just feels exhausting,” Vieth told the Daily. “[It’s] par for the course; yet another reason why I don’t feel comfortable accessing services at McGill. It’s a joke at this point.” Ok, my other @mcgillu question is why bathrooms were re-gendered. As in, they got new gender-neutral signs in the Brown building, and now… (I mean, the all-gender sign is up, but now it's m/f signs next to each other.) @ugecollective @theSSMU @PGSSEquity just so you know. pic.twitter.com/NoDK7s5oKL — Rine Vieth (@rinewithoutacat) January 13, 2021 Vieth spoke with the Union for Gender Empowerment (UGE), who raised the issue with Kathleen Bateman, Associate Director of Health Promotion and Outreach at the Wellness Hub. Mo Rajji Courtney, Outreach Coordinator for the UGE, said that the new signage was “at best, confusing for trans and gender non-conforming students, and at worst, hostile.”  Bateman explained to Rajji Courtney that the “re-gendering” had been an oversight. “People, likely janitorial or other staff, were given these signs and were told [to] put them up at their discretion. There were no formal decisions made,” Rajji Courtney shared with the Daily.  McGill’s Media Relations Office confirmed that the signage has since been changed. “High traffic buildings have signage installed in common spaces […] indicating distancing, direction and other safety measures in relation to COVID-19,” the Office stated in an email exchange with the Daily. “The gender-neutral bathrooms in the Brown Building have not been relabeled, and there are now gender-neutral signs, which have been replaced this week.” More than just an oversight “The disturbing thing is that McGill didn’t print out any COVID-specific all-gender signage,” Rajji Courtney tells the Daily. “We now know that the University didn’t make any decisions to re-gender the washrooms, but it still looked like it had. There’s a fear in that.” https://www.mcgilldaily.com/2021/02/59468/ 2/6 �11/6/21, 12:09 AM Accidental “re-gendering” of washrooms prompts discussion of systemic transphobia at McGill - The McGill Daily All-gender washrooms tend to be much safer spaces for trans and gender non-conforming people, they explain, because it allows these students to avoid the harassment they often face in gender segregated spaces.   “This oversight demonstrates that the University didn’t think of their trans and gender nonconforming students when making the signage. They didn’t think of our needs, or of how [the gendered posters] would make us feel,” says Rajji Courtney. “Afraid and excluded – those are not feelings that any student should have to [face] when they’re just trying to go to the bathroom.” “As an institution, McGill continues to fail trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming students,” adds Vieth.  The transphobia within McGill is systemic; I don’t read instances like these as “mistakes,” but as the predictable result of a lack of care for [these] students. “When someone makes a complaint, or an article comes out, McGill administrators are quick to say it was a one-off thing. But it’s not just a mistake, or a surprise that comes [out of] nowhere. The transphobia within McGill is systemic; I don’t read instances like these as “mistakes,” but as the predictable result of a lack of care for [these] students. For all its talk about “wellness,” what would happen if Student Services decided to prioritize the wellness of all students, including the transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming members of the McGill community? What if supporting us wasn’t seen as optional?” Advocating for change According to Rajji Courtney, McGill does not have a standardized process to help students voice their concerns and advocate for accessibility. Students can instead reach out to the UGE for support via email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or through a contact form on their website. https://www.mcgilldaily.com/2021/02/59468/ 3/6 �11/6/21, 12:09 AM Accidental “re-gendering” of washrooms prompts discussion of systemic transphobia at McGill - The McGill Daily “It’s our job to make sure that McGill is a trans-inclusive environment,” Rajji Courtney says. “That’s what the UGE aims to do.” Vieth tells The Daily that while they aren’t optimistic that change will occur at the University anytime soon, their frustration is “based in a kind of optimism about what kind of place McGill can be.” “I truly believe that McGill could do better, but I also believe that [the University’s] track record shows that it doesn’t want to. And until that track record changes, we’ll be stuck talking about trans people being able to use the bathroom in 2021.” “It is up to all of us, especially allies, to make noise when we see trans-exclusionary practices at McGill, even if it’s just an oversight,” adds Rajji Courtney. “That’s the only way we can push McGill to become actively trans-inclusive, instead of allowing the University [to make] trans students an afterthought.” 0 Comments Sort by Newest Add a comment... Facebook Comments Plugin Latest issue https://www.mcgilldaily.com/2021/02/59468/ 4/6 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Coverage from The McGill Daily Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Volume 110 Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Webpage Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2021-02-03 Title A name given to the resource Accidental “re-gendering” of washrooms prompts discussion of systemic transphobia at McGill Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Angelina Mazza Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The McGill Daily Description An account of the resource The article discusses an incident where gender-specific signs were mistakenly added to all-gender restrooms at McGill, causing concern among trans and gender non-conforming students. LGBTQ queer transphobia