Discussions on gender-neutral facilities have started for a long time abroad, and they already have facilities prepared. Since 2017, Princeton University has designated all rooms used for a dormitory to be “gender-neutral.” When two or more students apply for a room, the member of the “gender-neutral” dormitory will be selected regardless of gender. This includes not only men and women but also transgender people and gender nonconforming students, who are not gender-defined. In the same year, the National University of Taiwan installed a gender-neutral restroom, and Nagoya University in Japan also installed a gender-neutral restroom with the name of "Restroom For All”. We can find gender-neutral facilities at universities abroad pretty easily. They have a larger permissible range regarding admission of transgender people, and some manage admission without the gender checking box.  

The gender-neutral facility has also been established in Korean universities. On March 16th, Sungkonghoe University held a ceremony for completion about successfully establishing a “Restroom For All” for the first time. The chairman of Sungkonghoe University's 6th Human Rights Commission, Lee-Hoon, wanted to make a commission that “truly stand on the side of the weak but not being mechanically neutral.” He is standing in the footprints of "Restroom For All" completion. 

Q. What is “Restroom For All?”

A. “Restroom For All” has a larger concept than just being a gender-neutral restroom. It is designed in a broad sense so that the disabled who are uncomfortable moving with wheelchairs or children and guardians can use it easily. The existing restrooms are not easy for disabled and fosterers to use.

Q. What process did it take?

A. The agenda was first mentioned in 2016. A gender minority group, “Rain” in Sungkonghoe University, brought up the story of whether a gender-neutral restroom would be needed. This issue gained traction as the General students' association emerged. In 2017, a General students' association, “Bada,” made an election promise to establish gender-neutral restrooms in school and were elected. When they tried to make it, they thought they needed a restroom that included every social minority beyond gender. 

Thanks to lots of support and cooperation from several groups on campus, the installation came in life from 2021. The Central Operating Committee was held on May 17th of last year, and the “Restroom For All” was proposed. The agenda of “budget for installing Restrooms For All” was raised in May 24th's student representation meeting. General students' association believed that they should put in effort when someone on campus is suffering from inconvenience. Therefore, they reached to complete the “Restroom For All” after countless meetings with the University Administration. 

Q. Because the concept of “Restroom For All” is vague, it must not have been an easy process to find a middle ground.

A. Of course, the school press published articles for its completion, and there was definitely backlash about it. However, because our school's atmosphere is rather progressive and has lots of interest in human rights, there was no objection as much as I thought. It took a long time to compromise the financial issue, but the reactions of school members were fine.

To gather public opinion, we conducted a survey asking opinions of school members and conveyed storytelling concerning LGBTQIAs not being able to use the restroom. We brought up that people, on average, go to the toilet 4 to 20 times a day, but gender minorities cannot use it properly and hold it for more than 10 hours. This is a very severe everyday problem, and we decided that the current restroom system is insufficient and lacking. Beyond the problem of the restroom, we tried to turn it to a personal level, such as "this is a problem of the community," "My pain is your pain," "You cannot say “it is your business” when your friend or acquaintance is having trouble going to the restroom."

Even though there are only a few LGBTQIA, disabled, and students nurturing kids, they always exist around us. Will we not feel anything when we see that they cannot go to the restroom? There must be a feeling of helplessness. Since transgender people are also a member of our school, we cannot neglect them. 

Q. We are curious about what “Human Rights Commission” does since there is not one in PNU.

A. “Sungkonghoe University's 6th Human Rights Commission” is a special committee ensured by Sungkonghoe University's General students' association rules. It is an independent organization, not an affiliated organization of the General students' association. The committee aims at the enhancement of human rights on campus and is a member of the Central Operating Committee and student representation meeting. It has exclusive rights to investigate sexual assault issues within the university, and of course, it has a confidentiality obligation. 

The 1st Human Rights Commission was launched in 2016, seven years ago. There was General Female Students Association originally, but it was hard to deal with issues except for female issues, such as students with disabilities and issues of gender minority. Therefore, it spontaneously changed to Human Rights Commission. 

On account of the right to investigate and confidentiality obligation, we have gone through lots of big and small events in solidarity with school workers, vegetarians, the disabled, women, and LGBTQIA. Therefore, it has a major presence in the school and has grown into an organization that University Administration also feels the burden of. We are also well-known among Human Rights Committees of various universities. 

Q. Do you have any plans for establishing a dormitory for LGBTQIA? Or are there any activities necessary for universities to do?

A. Starting from small victories is important. That's why I thought starting with the “restroom” was a good idea. Of course, I believe changes are needed regarding the dormitory because there is no doubt that it's a space where everyone can use, including gender minorities, by not separating space as a gender.

Reported Channel PNU

Translated by Lee Su-Hyun