Separate but unequal: Revisiting the discussion of trans‐inclusive bathrooms

Abstract

Transgender students, often defined as "others," experience legal difficulties navigating within public spaces, specifically in terms of bathroom usage. The ultimate question is whether institutions of higher education (IHEs) are denying equal access to transgender students by creating unisex bathrooms alongside the binary system. The problems with these unisex locations harken back to what the court found in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) that separate but equal does not ensure equality. This policy analysis explores (1) the campus climate for transgender students, (2) the evolution of the bathroom laws, (3) the suitability of unisex bathrooms alongside binary-gendered bathrooms, and (4) transforming all bathrooms into undesignated locations.

Queering child welfare and juvenile justice: Recommendations for affirming LGBTQ+ youth

“…For example, some states have passed or introduced legislation and policies that make it more difficult or impossible for LGBTQ+ youth to access necessary health care (e.g., anti‐trans state policies that make it illegal for practitioners to provide trans‐affirming care) or for LGBTQ+ individuals to adopt children (e.g., discriminatory policies that prioritize different‐sex couples over same‐sex couples; Nadal, 2023). States have also introduced legislation restricting transgender youth from participating in sports (Pharr et al, 2022), and at the local level, some ordinances prohibit transgender individuals from using public restroom facilities that match their gender identity (James & Coley, 2023). In addition, many potential adoptive parents hold negative attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people; as a result, they may be more reluctant to adopt LGBTQ+ youth.…”