All Gender Washrooms

The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Durham College promotes respect and maintains and advocates for an inclusive campus for all employees and students regardless of race, gender, religion, age, gender identity or expressions, ethnic background, marital or family status, socio-economic class, ability or sexual orientation.

As part of our effort to encourage inclusivity and respect for diversity, we have responded to the need for all gender washrooms on campus to meet the needs of all of our campus members including transgender students and employees and other individuals who do not identify with traditional gender stereotypes. Part of this commitment includes making all-gender washrooms accessible to individuals who need them.

What are all gender washrooms?

An all gender washroom is simply a single-user facility that is not labelled male or female; rather, it is available to anyone regardless of gender identity or biological sex. At Durham College, all gender washrooms are also wheelchair accessible and are identified by the standard wheelchair icon.

Why do we need all gender washrooms?

In 2014, the Ontario Human Rights Commission launched its policy on preventing discrimination because of gender identity and gender expression. Human dignity involves many factors, including respect for transgender people and other gender non-conforming individuals, their self-worth, and their physical and psychological integrity and empowerment.

Access to washrooms is a basic physical need at the core of human dignity for everyone. Yet washrooms cause significant barriers for transgender people and are one of the public spaces they avoid most. Transgender people have the right to access these facilities based on their lived gender identity. It is also about privacy, confidentiality, comfort, autonomy, individuality and self-esteem.

Who can use all gender washrooms?

Washrooms need to be inclusive, accessible and safe spaces for everyone including transgender people and other gender non-conforming individuals. All gender, single-user washrooms improve access for people whose gender identity or expressions do not fit into man or woman.

To be truly inclusive, our facilities are accessible and usable by people with a disability or health needs, people of all genders, breastfeeding mothers and by people with young children. They also allow parents with children of opposite genders to enter a washroom together and provide accessibility for people with disabilities. We recognize inclusive design, barrier removal and individual accommodations benefit our campus community.

What are the benefits of all gender washrooms?

Achieving integration and full participation requires a barrier-free, inclusive design up front, with the removal of existing barriers. Inclusive design minimizes the need for people to ask for individual accommodation. The Supreme Court of Canada notes that standards should be designed to reflect all members of society to the extent that is reasonably possible.

As a community, we will uphold our organizational values of promoting a culture of respect, equal access and diversity. All gender washrooms promote dignity, ensure accessibility and offer a safe environment for everyone.

Where are the all gender washrooms located?

List of room numbers by building:

Oshawa Campus

Centre for Collaborative Education (CFCE)	Rooms CFCE 103 and CFCE 219
Gordon Willey building	Rooms  SW210A and C114 Rooms H154, H153, H152, H151
Student Services building	Rooms SSB 216A and 216B
South Village residence	First floor (two)
Simcoe Village residence	South Hall (two)
	South Hall basement (three)
	Main lobby

Whitby Campus

Centre for Food

Rooms CFF 108  and 109