29 September 2016
Senator Austin Phillips
The Illinois College campus currently has traditional binary restroom options. As a result, students who do not identify within the constraints of the traditional gender binary are excluded from the status quo of “men” and “women” restroom options on the Illinois College campus.
If any member of the campus community is uncomfortable in their current situation, the promises set forth by the Illinois College Vision Statement are no longer justifiable:
Illinois College will build an international reputation for inspiring achievement and empowering students to make a difference in the world.
If steps towards creating a more inclusive campus are not upheld, Illinois College will not be striving to achieve the fullest extent of “achievement” and “empower[ment]” for which the institution wants to be internationally known.
Current all-gender restrooms on the Illinois College campus are not adequate to provide for the needs of the non-binary community on campus. As a result, students are forced to use gendered restrooms with which they do not identify. The addition of all-gender restrooms, therefore, would be a great convenience to students and an overall benefit to the campus.
The addition of all-gender restrooms will contribute to the promotion of gender equality at Illinois College, and help to educate the campus community about diversity and inclusion even outside the classroom.
The presence of more all-gender restrooms on campus will serve as a valuable educational opportunity. As modern culture evolves, the complexities of sex, gender, and the gender binary are becoming more and more prevalent through social and political discourse, the media, and everyday life. Educating students on these complexities will effectively prepare them for the inevitable, important conversations they will be a part of in their post-graduate lives. It is the responsibility of Illinois College to adequately prepare its students for the “real world,” and it is evident that the “real world” will be full of gender-based discussion. All-gender restrooms provide students with opportunities to learn firsthand about subjects such as bodies, gender and sexual politics, and the harmful restrictions of the patriarchal gender binary – regardless of whether or not those students choose to actively use the all-gender facilities.
In accordance with this resolution, Senators James Hills and Austin Phillips have met with major advocates, involving those in the College’s faculty, staff, and administration that support and endorse this resolution. This includes employees in facilities and the Vice-President of Enrollment Management and College Marketing to acquire an accurate description of past projects to increase the number of all-gender restrooms and how much the cost would be for this resolution.
In addition, students have reached out to individual Student Senators to express their concerns regarding the status quo of the restroom situation on the Illinois College campus.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
Both the ‘men’ and ‘women’ Restrooms on the middle floor, the 100 level, of Kirby will be transitioned to All-Gender restrooms by implementing All-Gender Restroom signs. The amount of $300 was put aside for the purchasing of the signs. From that amount, the (2) signs will be purchased.
The All-Gender Restroom Committee will be tasked with following the resolution in its entirety through any procedural actions taken by the administration of Illinois College. As a result, the resolution will be submitted by President Wadkins to the Illinois College President for review and implementation.