• UMass students stage a "Shit-In" protest for gender neutral bathrooms
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[t]http://amherstwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Screen-Shot-2016-11-14-at-2.14.26-PM-e1479182463890.png[/t] [quote]AMHERST — A protest calling for more gender-neutral bathrooms at the University of Massachusetts Amherst kicked-off Monday morning in the Whitmore Administration building. Students began occupying bathroom stalls and urinals around the building at 9 a.m. Monday, according to Ann Schilling, a protest organizer... The protest comes at a tumultuous time in state politics. Massachusetts passed a new law affirming the rights of transgender people in June. A ballot referendum which seeks to overturn that law already has enough signatures to appear on the ballot in Massachusetts in 2018. According to Schilling, over 135 people have already volunteered to take place in the occupation. Schilling says the bathroom occupation will continue every day — Monday through Friday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. — until the administration agrees to meet their three demands: “Speedy implementation of gender-neutral restrooms campus-wide.” “Advancement of medically and socially competent in-house transgender health services at [University Health Services].” “Hiring of a professor by the [Women Gender Sexuality Studies] department who is an expert in the study of critical transmisogyny from an intersectional perceptive.” The group is leaving one stall and one urinal open in every bathroom, according to Sibelle Grise, a member of GLU and a protest organizer. “It forces us to make the hard decision of which bathroom to use. We have to decide which bathroom we feel safest in. I feel safe in neither of them. Making that choice is not something we believe students should be forced to do. We just want to be able to use the bathroom without that stress just like everybody else,” Grise said. “Especially in the wake of the election, there’s no better time to do this,” Grise said. [b]“The administration has been somewhat receptive to us, but what they’re talking about is not nearly good enough,” she said.[/b] Ed Blaguszewski, UMass spokesman, offered a different message Monday night. “UMass Amherst has been at the forefront of efforts in Massachusetts to increase the number of gender-neutral bathrooms, and that commitment continues,” Blaguszewski said. Blaguszewski also said that [b]50 additional gender-neutral bathrooms will be created[/b], “during the coming year” and all new buildings constructed on campus will include them. He added the university will continue to engage the concerns of transgender students. [/quote] [url=http://amherstwire.com/17995/campus/bathroom-occupation-begins-at-whitmore-administration-building/]Source: College's newspaper[/url]
This seems like a totally valid and okay protest. They're not actually shitting everywhere, they're just occupying the bathrooms.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;51383920]This seems like a totally valid and okay protest. They're not actually shitting everywhere, they're just occupying the bathrooms.[/QUOTE] Personally, the fact the university was already building 50 new gender neutral restrooms (and 200 gender inclusive single person ones existing) and they still protest makes it unreasonable for me. Like compared to other universities that is already light years ahead. What the fuck they want more?
A Protest that does not compromise the safety or well being of others. Sounds fine
[QUOTE=Tudd;51383934]Personally, the fact the university was already building 50 new gender neutral restrooms and they still protest makes it unreasonable for me. Like compared to other universities that is already light years ahead. What the fuck they want more?[/QUOTE] Is there any reason why not though
Why is it always UMass?
[QUOTE=Lambeth;51383940]Is there any reason why not though[/QUOTE] Cause using your right to protest can have a negative effect on your movement if you do things to actively annoy people and institutions who were otherwise for you. You do realise that just because you can protest, doesn't mean you should. Especially if the university is already advancing your agenda. Now people will just laugh/get angry at being impeded. [editline]17th November 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Lolkork;51383943]Just because it's better than other doesn't necessarily mean its good. But I don't know if 50 is enough or way too few.[/QUOTE] 50 in one year is quite alot if were talking about renovating existing buildings. It isn't exactly the easiest thing to create these bathrooms in buildings that typically get used year round. They have to wait till a holiday or shut down a few and open them up by waves.
I think you're overstating at how much this will impede people. It's a mild inconvenience at best
[QUOTE=Lambeth;51383956]I think you're overstating at how much this will impede people. It's a mild inconvenience at best[/QUOTE] Well I have no idea being there, but during high-traffic times atleast at my university, one can easily imagine it could start creating a problem.
It looks like the protest isn't happening anyway, [URL="http://amherstwire.com/18107/campus/whitmore-bathroom-occupation-susupended-following-agreement-with-administration/"]they've already met with the administration[/URL]. Good job everyone, democracy does have positive results some of the time.
[QUOTE]“Hiring of a professor by the [Women Gender Sexuality Studies] department who is an expert in the study of critical transmisogyny from an intersectional perceptive.”[/QUOTE] What the hell is this bit even supposed to mean? What exactly is "critical transmisogyny from an intersectional perceptive"?
[QUOTE=Alice3173;51384079]What the hell is this bit even supposed to mean? What exactly is "critical transmisogyny from an intersectional perceptive"?[/QUOTE] They want an expert in analysing misogyny against transwomen in particular but also someone who writes from a perspective that transcends racial and social classes.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;51384122]They want an expert in analysing misogyny against transwomen in particular but also someone who writes [b]from a perspective that transcends racial and social classes.[/b][/QUOTE] I would really have a fun time in these classes.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;51384122]They want an expert in analysing misogyny against transwomen in particular but also someone who writes from a perspective that transcends racial and social classes.[/QUOTE] They should consider speaking English if they want people to understand them. Literally the only part of the original statement that I actually understood was the transmisogyny part, lol.
I might be an ignorant biggot, but what is the point of gender-neutral bathrooms? Why not use the bathroom as you indentify with?
[QUOTE=MILKE;51384282]I might be an ignorant biggot, but what is the point of gender-neutral bathrooms? Why not use the bathroom as you indentify with?[/QUOTE] Some people can't get over the fact a transgirl has a penis so they insist that she should use the male bathroom instead. This conveniently sidesteps the issue altogether.
I'm 100% on board with gender neutral bathrooms because all the ones I've seen have been one room, one person. Who can say no to spacious bathrooms with total privacy?
[QUOTE=Alice3173;51384298]Some people can't get over the fact a transgirl has a penis so they insist that she should use the male bathroom instead. This conveniently sidesteps the issue altogether.[/QUOTE] That's like saying that kids with gay parents should go to seperate kindergardens so that the other kids don't make fun of them. Society needs to adapt to the fact that gender dysphoria is a thing. Ignoring the made up infinite genderfluids shit, it's actually a pretty rare condition to begin with.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;51383940]Is there any reason why not though[/QUOTE] It takes extra space in each and every bathroom block for only a tiny amount of people using them. The whole world has designed and build buildings with only a single multi gendered or male/female bathrooms, making a third option will not be possible in a lot of existing locations. The question is more: 'are their requests valid', and 'is the problem big enough to warrant taking the effort to create a third bathroom everywhere'. The protesters are trying to convince them it is a valid request and a big enough problem. I myself am not really sure if the gender neutral bathroom is worth it though, as I dont really know why trans people need them yet.
Why make new bathrooms gender-neutral instead of just having all bathrooms non-gendered? There's no gendered bathrooms except in the gym at my university, and there never has been. Why do you need to separate bathrooms in men's and women's in the first place?
[QUOTE=Riller;51385066]Why make new bathrooms gender-neutral instead of just having all bathrooms non-gendered? There's no gendered bathrooms except in the gym at my university, and there never has been. Why do you need to separate bathrooms in men's and women's in the first place?[/QUOTE] Because fucking nothing can ever just be done efficiently. It's always gotta devolve into pointless bickering.
[QUOTE] the study of critical transmisogyny from an intersectional perceptive.[/QUOTE] This is why I have a hard time taking these people seriously. It reeks of over-analysis.
[QUOTE=Alice3173;51384195]They should consider speaking English if they want people to understand them. Literally the only part of the original statement that I actually understood was the transmisogyny part, lol.[/QUOTE] It's a university though The insular jargon actually is appropriate for once
[QUOTE=Alice3173;51384195]They should consider speaking English if they want people to understand them. Literally the only part of the original statement that I actually understood was the transmisogyny part, lol.[/QUOTE] It's an academic subject, and like all academic subjects it has a lot of its own terminology.
[QUOTE=Tudd;51383934]Personally, the fact the university was already building 50 new gender neutral restrooms and they still protest makes it unreasonable for me. Like compared to other universities that is already light years ahead. What the fuck they want more?[/QUOTE] True. But bathrooms aren't the only issue they're protesting. They do want to current bathrooms to be converted into gender neutral locations, but they [I]also[/I] want to expand college health services and have a support group(?) led by an expert. [editline]17th November 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=taipan;51385015]It takes extra space in each and every bathroom block for only a tiny amount of people using them. The whole world has designed and build buildings with only a single multi gendered or male/female bathrooms, making a third option will not be possible in a lot of existing locations. The question is more: 'are their requests valid', and 'is the problem big enough to warrant taking the effort to create a third bathroom everywhere'. The protesters are trying to convince them it is a valid request and a big enough problem. I myself am not really sure if the gender neutral bathroom is worth it though, as I dont really know why trans people need them yet.[/QUOTE] The idea is not to build a third, gender neutral bathroom, but to make the existing gendered bathrooms neutral. IE- all stalls and no urinals, or urinals behind a partition.
[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;51385251]True. But bathrooms aren't the only issue they're protesting. They do want to current bathrooms to be converted into gender neutral locations, but they [I]also[/I] want to expand college health services and have a support group(?) led by an expert. .[/QUOTE] Apparently from a different website (College Reform) it already turned out the university has around 200 Gender inclusive restrooms. [url]https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=8409[/url]
[QUOTE=Tudd;51385366]Apparently from a different website (College Reform) it already turned out the university has around 200 Gender inclusive restrooms. [url]https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=8409[/url][/QUOTE] I guess they just want [I]all[/I] the bathrooms to be gender neutral then. College definitely does seem to be reciprocating on this point, at least, so that aspect of the protest may be a bit unnecessary. Either way, as I said, the bathrooms aren't the only things these students are protesting for. They are also requesting expanded college health services and support groups for LGBT students, which seem like fairly reasonable requests at first glance.
[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;51385447]I guess they just want [I]all[/I] the bathrooms to be gender neutral then. College definitely does seem to be reciprocating on this point, at least, so that aspect of the protest may be a bit unnecessary. Either way, as I said, the bathrooms aren't the only things these students are protesting for. They are also requesting expanded college health services and support groups for LGBT students, which seem like fairly reasonable requests at first glance.[/QUOTE] Support groups are fine, but the health services need to be expanded upon abit.
I'm okay when people want their piece of the pie. Thats normal and to be expected, any less and there is something wrong. But when those same people start feeling entitled to the whole pie, they can go fuck themselves.
[QUOTE=DiBBs27;51385725]I'm okay when people want their piece of the pie. Thats normal and to be expected, any less and there is something wrong. But when those same people start feeling entitled to the whole pie, they can go fuck themselves.[/QUOTE] Are you going to elaborate on how that remotely applies to this?
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