WATCH: The Greater Victoria School Board is adopting a new gender neutral policy, calling for at least one non-binary bathroom and change room in each school. Monica Martinez reports.
When the new Oak Bay High School opened last year, it came with gender neutral bathrooms, which was a huge relief for students who don’t identify as male or female.
“It has been a lot better because I don’t feel as if I have to make a choice as to which bathroom I have to go in,” said grade 11 student Shane Wagner.
Wagner is gender fluid and said that simple activity at their previous school was uncomfortable.
“So whenever I went into the girls bathroom I didn’t feel safe because other girls are looking at me like why is that person in here. They don’t seem to be belonging in here,” they said.
But soon, all schools in the Greater Victoria School District will have to have at least one gender neutral bathroom.
But that’s not all – the board’s new Gender Identity and Gender Expression policy aims to reduce gender segregation wherever possible. That means adding gender neutral change rooms, making physical education classes co-ed and encouraging the use of gender neutral pronouns.
School board trustee Jordan Watters led the initiative. She reviewed gender identity policies across North America, taking the best parts and building on it.
“Fundamentally this is about expressing student’s rights and they have a right to free expression of their gender identity and we want to make sure we are doing everything we can to support that,” Watters said.
Watters said this is one of the most progressive and comprehensive policies she’s seen.
“This is a real paradigm shift. It’s not happening overnight. It is a slow process to support students and staff,” she said.
Members of Oak Bay High’s Pride Club said it’s a much needed change.
“It’ll add more protection for people and it just makes me excited that people can feel safe at school,” said student Jordie Carroll.
“I’m quite proud we’ve finally come to this. I think we should have done this a long time ago but I think this is going to be really good for the school,” said student Faeron MacIver.
The policy will roll out this year and the next, a step students and staff hope will make everyone at school feel welcome.
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