The Lost Files Vol. 12: Gender Inclusive Bathrooms

WSU Rec Center keeping up with times and Joneses

New all gender inclusive facilities represent the progressive culture of college campuses in progressive towns such as Pullman.          

            “We started construction a couple weeks ago (as of May 25) and plan to be done before classes start (in August).” Jeff Elbracht, Director of Facilities and Finance at the WSU Student Recreation Center said of the new all gender facilities being built at the WSU Student Recreation Center. Elbracht said these bathrooms and locker rooms that are being built by Design West Architects will provide direct access to the pool as well as easier entrance for patrons in wheelchairs.    

            Why did WSU decide to leave the old guard behind and move on to brighter days and greener pastures?

            These types of all-encompassing bathrooms and locker rooms are becoming the new normal at universities across the United States with the University of Oregon being a prime example, said Elbracht. With two private shower and changing rooms projected to be in the WSU Student Recreation Center facility, all gender rooms have the same policies as gender divisive ones except that they are non-discriminatory towards gender.

            With principles such as body image and comfort being at the top of the rider for millenials, facilities such as these adhere to the list of values of our generation which includes vanity. It is sad to say but we live in a “me first” era where most people are glued to their iPhones and have lost touch with society as well as the world that is always around them. Being in touch with society does not include changing your face to look like a puppy or applying so much Sepia tone to your latest Instagram picture that look like you should be holding a pitchfork and staring solemnly into one of those old exploding cameras in front of a field of corn.

            But I believe in the value that these all gender inclusive facilities could hold one day in our civilization because people are innately good and communities make progress over time.

            Elbracht said the all gender facilities at the new Chinook student center have been used “quite a bit” which means Pullman residents should be optimistic that more of these will be popping up around town in the near future. The director of facilities and finance at the WSU Student Recreation Center also said all gender bathrooms and locker rooms are popular in YMCAs and other youth organizations that often require parent assistance for their children in using the lavatory and such.           

            We should constantly be looking forward as a society and only backwards as a way of learning from our past mistakes.

NBA All Star Jimmy Butler, who you know is a very wise man because he owns a 6,000 pound fish tank shaped like a boom box, once took the rear view mirror off his car because he wanted to stop looking at the past. WSU is taking the rear view mirror off their university, one gender inclusive facility at a time.