Restrooms at WCTC now 'gender inclusive' as required by federal law
PEWAUKEE -- There's a sign of the times at Waukesha County Technical College. New inclusive restrooms allow transgender or transitioning individuals to use facilities that align with their gender identity.
Campus officials said any school or university that accepts federal dollars needs to make these changes to their restrooms. So far, FOX6 News was told there have been no issues at WCTC.
WCTC
A spokeswoman for WCTC said restrooms across the campus became gender inclusive at the start of the semester.
"I think that there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. I think it`s important that anyone who comes here feels welcome," Jordan Real, WCTC student said.
While some, like Real, support the change, others said allowing students of an opposite gender into a private space makes them feel uneasy.
"I think they should just stick to their own gender bathroom. I don`t think they should get any special treatment at all," Carlos Orozco, WCTC student said.
In a statement to FOX6 News, WCTC's VP of Student Services Nicole Gahagan said the inclusion is required:
"In compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s Dear Colleague Letter on Transgender Students published on May 13, 2016, Waukesha County Technical College established gender inclusive restrooms as of January 2017. Pursuant to Federal law, transgender or transitioning students are permitted to use campus restrooms consistent with their gender identity. Students cannot be required to use facilities inconsistent with their gender identity, or to use individual-user facilities when other students are not required to do so."
WCTC
It's important to point out, the only change to the men's and women's restrooms on campus are the signs.
Gahagan said the signs put WCTC in compliance with U.S. Department of Education Guidelines published in May.
Gahagan said so far, there have been no complaints from students, and only a few questions.
WCTC officials said they've never had any known criminal issues in their restrooms before.