Parents of teenagers at a Virginia high school are outraged that the school added a gender-neutral bathroom to its new design – a move that some warn could fuel bullying and “scar” some students “for life.”
Virginia’s Christiansburg High School (CHS) has introduced a feature – an “open plan” gender-neutral bathroom that the school suggests will make students feel more comfortable.
However, some in the community argue that it may have the opposite effect on adolescents, who are experiencing several physical changes.
“Could you imagine just starting [your period] for the first time and not being able to get what you need?” Alecia Vaught, 49, a grandmother of two teens at the school, told The Daily Signal. “I would have been mortified at that age.”
‘Invasion of privacy’
Vaught also pointed out that while stalls may provide some cover, they do not block out sounds.
“How would you feel coming out of the stall, washing your hands, and having to look at the boy or man who just heard you and is now right beside you at the sink? That is NOT okay!” she said.
She called the design a “complete invasion of privacy of our girls,” stressing that teenage girls need a safe space to regroup when they are “stressed out, emotional, or upset.”
“They need privacy to conduct their business or ask other girls for tampons or pads, and to be able to check their faces or fix their makeup in the mirror,” Vaught explained.
‘Scar young girls for life’
Pointing out that high school is already “stressful for teenagers,” the grandmother warned that the new set up will only encourage bullying – especially if “someone sees period blood on another students’ clothing.”
“Young girls shouldn’t have to worry about boys and men watching them in their private spaces,” Vaught said, adding, “How could any of that not scar young girls for life?”
‘Reduce bullying’
But Josh Bower – of the firm that implemented the new design – insists “the goal of the open plan is to reduce bullying.”
“The bathroom is the highest level of anxiety a student has,” Bower said in a 2023 meeting when he presented the school board with a floorplan of the new design. “They don’t want to go to the restroom because of some of the nonsense that happens in there. When you’re doing your most private activities, the stalls go from floor to ceiling, and they are completely private when you are doing your most private activities.”
And, according to the board’s official policy, “students should have access to facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their consistently asserted gender identity or expression.”
The policy, put in place in 2021, explains that “Upon request, a single-user, gender-inclusive facility, or other non-stigmatizing alternatives should be made available to any student who seeks privacy.”
‘Tax dollars obnoxiously spent’
Despite school policy, and the architect’s insistence that it will “reduce bullying,” the change has already stirred strong reactions.
J.R Putnam, a member of the CHS Alumni group on Facebook, shared a post with former students, alongside several photos of the new bathroom – one with signage that shows a male, female, half of each, and a wheelchair.
One member of the group replied in the comment section: “If I’m reading this sign correctly, this bathroom is for everyone!! Well, this is ridiculous, unsafe and just wrong. I’m sorry but as a grown woman I don’t want to use a bathroom with men I want some privacy…so are we going to put Potty Police in each bathroom to keep everyone safe?”
A second offers, “Our tax dollars obnoxiously spent to accommodate less than 1% is ridiculous!”
“Please tell me this is not an open restroom,” shared a third.
‘Gender-neutral’ bathroom at home
Meanwhile, elsewhere on Facebook, another parent suggested the shared bathrooms aren’t so unusual.
“Oh no! I am terrified I just realized recently that…in my own home… And just about every single home I have ever been to…Also has a gender-neutral bathroom! Oh gawd think of the children! How will they ever be able to handle such a drastic change like going from their home gender neutral bathroom to their school’s gender-neutral bathroom?”
The controversy at Christiansburg High School has left many parents stunned, with some saying the new gender-neutral bathrooms strip away privacy and could put vulnerable students in uncomfortable – even humiliating – situations.
What are your thoughts on gender-neutral bathrooms in schools? Please let us know what you think and then share this story so we can get the conversation going!
READ MORE
- Teenager asked to prove gender at restaurant
- University bans transgender athlete and strips her of titles
