UBC Campus Showcase "Diversity Toilets"

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A revo-loo-tion on the UBC campus

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uploaded by Barry ORegan

Opinion

Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

UBC special interests throw environmentalism by the wayside in exchange for "We can outdo the world in Diversity".  Now there will be toilets for just about every person regardless of orientation.  Cultural needs are a given, especially for religious worship.  But Transgendered? What's next? Vegan washrooms?  Certainly this is Diversity out of control.

I can see the need for washrooms to accomodate persons from nursing women to Muslims and other groups for religious purposes it only makes sense on the health standpoint, but transgendered? Give me a break, UBC is pretty much one of the most free thinking Universities around, a transgender can pretty much use any washroom of their choosing and considering Womens washrooms have long lineups anyways, transgenders have the option of using a mens washroom.  Whereby the straight set are relagated to one. I spend three days a week at UBC and for the last 4 years there never saw any problems. The only problem I see is a group with way too much time on their hands.  UBC is surrently trying to attain LEEDS status in Environmental responsibility.  Of course

this new development will most likely garner the category of  " Aluminum Can Status" .  A University which self proclaims itself as in the environmental forefront and a model of Environmental stewardship certainly shows they "Do not practise what they Preach", but isn't this always the way with "Evangelical Style Environmentalists".  When  taking a drive drop by Suziki's place and see what I mean.

My Final Thought
For those who are unfamiliar with LEEDS, here is a brief description.
What is LEEDs?

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

So Now Public Readers can certainly see the Hypocrisy in UBC pandering to speacial interests, much like our Governments do for Corporations which self professed Environmentally concious UBC students are strongly opposed, but then they too are looking for that Holy Grail of Diversity, in which most feel is a Phd programs at a University somewhere, yet I think  they have found it.  It is UBC.

url="http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=e96c4e8a-2b06-4b66-95f4-182324e1ca39&k=40658"]A washroom revolution is happening at the University of B.C.

It will benefit nursing moms in need of a private space to care for their babies, practising Muslims who require a special washing facility to perform religious rituals, and transgendered individuals looking for a space that reaches beyond the traditional "male" and "female" division.

Preparations are underway to overhaul up to 391 single-stall bathroom facilities on campus in an effort to meet the access and diversity needs of the school's varied student body. Existing multi-stall men's and women's washrooms will remain.

Shehryar Ghazi uses an ablution facility at Simon Fraser University that allows Muslims to practise a purification ritual before prayer. SFU has had the facilities since May; now UBC will follow.View Larger Image View Larger Image

Shehryar Ghazi uses an ablution facility at Simon Fraser University that allows Muslims to practise a purification ritual before prayer. SFU has had the facilities since May; now UBC will follow.

Peter Battistoni, Vancouver Sun

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"I hope it says that we want to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students," said Janet Mee, who, as UBC director of access and diversity, heads up the planned washroom renovations.

Upcoming changes range from the construction of new facilities, to replacing gender-specific signs on doors with gender-neutral ones. Mee said no budget has yet been set for the project, and would not comment on possible costs.

Bathroom needs became an issue last year after members of the university's Pride association, representing gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgendered students, raised safety concerns with Mee's department.

She said transgendered students have reported feeling harassed or embarrassed when forced to use traditionally segregated bathrooms on campus.

The university has now come up with its own gender-neutral design for the one-stall washrooms. Yet to be formally unveiled, the new symbol -- a silhouette of a toilet -- will identify the facility, rather than the people who use it, Mee said.

"It's an issue of safety, but also one of dignity," she said.

Mee said the discussions with Pride have since led to a wider conversation with various interest groups on campus regarding washroom requirements.

For Hesham Alsalman, with UBC's Muslim Student Association, it was the opportunity his group has long waited for.

For years, practising muslims at UBC such as Alsalman have gathered in public washrooms at Brock Hall up to five times each day to carefully wash their hands, face and feet in preparation for daily prayers.

It's a necessary ritual, symbolizing the cleansing of body and soul prior to prayer, said Alsalman.

It's also been messy.

Students, he said, must hop on one foot, holding the other up to waist-high sinks, all the while keeping a hand on the faucet in order to keep the water flowing.

It's not uncommon for water to spill all over the floor -- an inconvenience for everyone using the interfaith facility.

"We have had complaints in the past," Alsalman said.

The university is now considering installing custom-constructed ablution facilities that would allow Muslim students to perform the bathing ritual in a safer, more convenient environment.

"It's a very small and minor requirement," said Alsalman of the proposed facilities, which would be included in both the men's and women's washrooms at Brock Hall used by the 600-plus association members for prayers.

In May, Simon Fraser University in Burnaby became the first university in B.C. to include ablution, or wudu, facilities for Muslim students on its campus.

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