JACE JACOBS
Assistant Scallion Editor
At SUNY Fredonia, an expansive number of academic buildings proudly boast gender-neutral restrooms, serving as a source of safety and comfort for transgender, gender nonconforming and disabled individuals, alongside the entire student body.
While these amenities are widely available, certain spaces prove more accommodating for use than others. This article serves to guide readers through a tour of the bathrooms which have been personally utilized, categorized by their locations.
Mason Hall:
This building functions as the main hub of the School of Music and has recently incorporated a gender-neutral restroom into its amenities. The aforementioned restroom is situated on the first floor of what students call “New Mason,” adjacent to the percussion practice rooms. It boasts wheelchair accessibility and is quite spacious. Albeit lacking a hook for storage of student backpacks, the facility is equipped with handrails and provides a very private experience.
McEwen Hall:
McEwen serves as the location of SUNY Fredonia’s library and communication department, equipped with two gender-neutral restrooms situated on the first floor, another on the third floor and an additional one on the ground floor.
I have personally used only one of these restrooms and am unaware of the precise locations of the others, which highlights a major flaw in the locations of many restrooms; if students are unable to find them, they are not truly accessible.
The restroom I have utilized is directly opposite the library and is situated next to a pair of vending machines, accounting for the high volume of daily traffic of both students and visitors and thus resulting in limited availability of the restroom.
This predicament is heightened if students are hoping to use the facility during the brief period that separates their classes.
Additionally, as it is frequently employed, the restroom may not always be well-maintained. There are also no hooks present for students to hang their belongings. Although this restroom in McEwen is relatively small compared to others on campus, it has the same features and provisions for easy access.
Rockefeller Arts Center:
This academic building features eight gender-neutral lavatories, in addition to various performance venues.
One restroom is situated on the ground floor, two are on the second level, and five are on the plaza floor of the building. I have used five of these restrooms, but as for the remaining three, I am unaware of their whereabouts.
The ground-floor restroom is located near the administrative office in the “basement” of Rockefeller, as many students designate it. Due to its secluded position in a hallway, it may elude new students. Furthermore, the doorstop is often left down, impeding accessibility. Nevertheless, it is spacious and furnished with toilet handrails as well as a hook for backpacks.
On the plaza floor, which is generally regarded as the “first-level” by most students, I have frequented three lavatories. One is the gender-neutral restroom that students in Rockefeller are most familiar with, situated between two sculpture exhibits. This facility is often used and rightly so, as it is spacious, equipped with standard handrails next to the toilet and outfitted with a hook for personal items. Although it may be slightly neglected at times, it is generally well-maintained.
Another restroom can be found in the lobby of King Concert Hall, tucked in a corner close to the coat check. This lavatory is seldom used, which means it is typically very clean.
The door to the lavatory remains shut unless the handicap button outside is pressed, which automatically opens it.
Despite this convenience, when inside, the door must still be locked, confusing many first-time users. This lavatory is unique in that it has central heating, small drinking cups, and a vent that pipes in sounds from the recital hall.
Although it does not provide a hook for belongings, it is spacious and includes standard handrails next to the toilet.
Lastly, another restroom can be found in the lobby of the Marvel Theatre, hidden behind a wall adjacent to the ticketing desk, which makes it challenging for many patrons to locate.
This lavatory is also spacious, outfitted with typical handrails, but no bag hook.
The gender-neutral bathroom I have utilized on the second floor of Rockefeller is another facility frequented by multiple students. Situated across from the costume shop, it is smaller than the others in the building. It still includes standard handrails and a bag hook.
Although it is often occupied, it typically remains very hygienic.
LoGrasso Hall:
LoGrasso Hall, which houses both the Student Health Center and Student Counseling Center, features three gender-neutral bathrooms on its first floor. I have utilized one of these bathrooms, specifically in the Counseling Center lobby.
While this particular restroom is conveniently located near the offices of each individual counselor, it lacks a hook for students to place their belongings on and often experiences shortages of soap and paper towels.
Furthermore, the limited size of this restroom may pose challenges for wheelchair users, despite its technical compliance with accessibility standards.
The Williams Center:
The Williams Center features a pair of gender-neutral bathrooms on its first floor. Of these two restrooms, the one that is situated near the Welcome Center is frequently occupied throughout the day. This particular bathroom is significantly well-known on campus because of its central location and accessibility. This spacious restroom includes a bag hook on the back of the door, as well as handrails next to the toilet. It should be noted that despite its popularity, the restroom is usually kept quite clean, although at times it may appear slightly untidy.
Residence Halls:
Each residential building is equipped with at least one gender-neutral bathroom situated on its first floor. Within corridor-style structures, such as Nixon Hall, said facilities can be found adjacent to the RA desk, a common area or in the lobby area. Similarly, suite-style buildings, like Kasling Hall, often house gender-neutral bathrooms in their communal kitchens or within a hallway near the RA office. It is common for many of these buildings to offer gender-neutral facilities within their basements, particularly if the space has been designated for activities. One example of this is the gender-neutral bathroom near the gym located below Schulz Hall.
Other gender-neutral restrooms:
As a transgender individual, I have had the opportunity to utilize a significant proportion of the gender-neutral restrooms available on campus. However, I acknowledge that my personal encounters are not all-encompassing, and there exist additional gender-neutral restroom provisions across various other buildings.
The list below includes every gender-neutral restroom on campus not mentioned above:
Carnahan Jackson Center: Fourth floor
Fenton Hall: Second floor
Houghton Hall: First floor
Thompson Hall: First and third floor
Alumni House: First and second floor
Butler Building: First floor
Childrens’ Center: First floor
Erie Hall: First floor
Incubator: Second floor
Maytum Hall: Ground and fourth floor
Services Complex: First floor
University Stadium: First floor