YES

Because of how our society has evolved throughout the years, it is crucial that we establish the idea of having more gender-neutral bathrooms on Cal High’s campus.

Although one already exists in the nurse’s office, located in the administration building, adding more gender-neutral bathrooms on campus would greatly increase the security that students feel if they are not yet able to identify themselves as female or male.

As gender-neutral bathrooms are being introduced in elementary and middle schools, it is only inevitable that these bathrooms be installed for use in all grade levels.

There has been some concern as to if high-schoolers are mature enough for the drastic change to their school bathroom systems. But if they are starting to be installed on campus for younger students, there is no doubt older students will adjust to the gender-neutral bathrooms with ease.

Since the need for gender-neutral bathrooms is rapidly increasing, it is only a matter of time before Cal has them too.

These bathrooms will help ensure that our school has a safe and welcoming environment for all students.

With how society has changed over the years, it is only a matter of time before all bathrooms become gender neutral or at least have an option for more than just one.

It has become more and more common for public places to have gender-neutral restrooms.

Stories have recently surfaced involving people’s gender identity. For example, San Francisco elementary schools are starting to utilize gender-neutral bathrooms in order to make the campus a safer environment for everyone

Gender-neutral bathrooms at Cal would increase the security that students could feel if they are not yet able to identify themselves to one sex.

We want to make sure that our campus is a happy and welcoming environment. Just imagine that one day you were forced to use the girls’ restroom if you were a boy or the boys’ restroom if you were a girl.

Wouldn’t you feel uncomfortable and unsafe?

That is exactly how the students, unsure of what gender they should identify as.

Cal should start the trend and hopefully transform the entire San Ramon Valley School District into a more equal environment for anyone and everyone.

NO

Gender-neutral bathrooms  around campus are not something that can be successfully implemented at Cal High.

In an ideal environment, this would be a great way to make gender-neutral students feel safe and create an atmosphere where everyone can be comfortable being oneself.

Unfortunately, high school is not the ideal environment for this because there will always be people who will wrongfully take advantage of them.

The biggest issue would be deciphering between the gender-neutral students and the ones who are pretending to be. It’s impossible.

There is no way to tell who is who, and this can lead to the rest of the students feeling very uncomfortable if people who aren’t gender neutral use the opposite gender’s bathrooms.

If one of these “fake” gender-neutral people ever decide to share the opposite gender’s bathrooms inappropriately via social media, the school has a whole new legal problem on its hands.

The number of people that the bathrooms would directly benefit is minute.

We’ve come this far without a demand for gender-neutral bathrooms, so why would we need them now?

There is no spike in gender-neutral students, and there’s been no request for action, so there’s no reason to have them.

As much as it would be a courtesy for the few gender-neutral students on campus, it is not a necessity to change every bathroom on campus.

For the few gender-neutral people who are open about their status, the students never complain if they choose to use the opposite gender’s bathroom.

There have been no incidents or any objection to this unspoken rule, so there’s no reason for gender-neutral bathrooms if the issue has been resolved.

Cal High already has a single stall gender-neutral bathroom in the nurse’s office. Havingthis restroom in the administration building removes the risk for issues arising and is a great alternative for changing other bathrooms on campus.

Successfully making one bathroom gender-neutral is a great feat and should be enough for those students who feel more comfortable using it.

But for the time being, there is no reason for making more bathrooms gender-neutral at Cal.

The one gender-neutral bathrooms on campus is working, so why risk creating problems by adding more.