Despite 10 more states suing the federal government over transgender bathroom access, NIU will put up its first gender-inclusive bathroom signs on four bathrooms today.

These bathrooms, marked by an NIU-designed sign depicting a man, woman and wheelchair, are located in the Holmes Student Center and are open to everyone, including transgender students.

“We want to make sure we’re using gender-inclusive because it’s important for everyone to know it’s not just a restroom that the transgender community can use,” said Chief Diversity Officer Vernese Edghill-Walden. “Someone in a wheelchair or a father who has a daughter that has to go to the restroom can use it.”

NIU has had gender-inclusive restrooms on campus, but they are not labeled gender-inclusive. One of these restrooms is located on the first floor of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, according to an April 4 Northern Star article.

Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming filed a lawsuit against the federal government July 8 pushing back on the “Dear Colleague” Title IX clarification sent May 13, according to a July 8 Associated Press article.

“Dear Colleague,” which was sent to public schools from the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education, states that under Title IX, schools must be non-discriminatory, specifically to transgender students. If not, the schools risk losing funding, according to the “Dear Colleague” letter.

Following the issuing of the letter, 11 states immediately filed a case in the federal district court in Texas, according to a July 8 Politico article.

Edghill-Walden said these single-stall bathrooms will serve as a prototype to see how the NIU community responds.

“Single-stall is the easiest way to start and probably the most economical, because to do any other way would require additional renovation,” Edghill-Walden said.

Molly Holmes, director of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, said transgender students can also address their needs by sending a template to their professors stating their preferred pronoun or a preferred name.

Go to bit.ly/29Rh1d7 for instructions on how to change your name on NIU email, blackboard or legally in DeKalb County.

A workshop open to all faculty, staff and students will provide training on non-discrimination and harassment policy, complaint procedures and Title IX and sexual misconduct education at 9 a.m. Tuesday and 3 p.m. Thursday in the Human Resource Services building.

Gender-inclusion in sports

Sex-segregated athletic facilities are permitted under Title IX, and transgender students are allowed access to facilities that correspond with their gender preference, according to the “Dear Colleague” letter.

Associate Athletics Director Donna Turner said accommodations for transgender students interested in participating in athletics would be made and dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Turner said this has not been a common occurrence within the athletics department because a majority of students are recruited from high school or junior colleges where the gender would already be determined, like in men’s or women’s soccer.

Gender-inclusion in careers

Employers interested in recruiting at NIU are given ways to connect with various resource centers like the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, said Brian Pillsbury, assistant director for Career Services.

Pillsbury said employers are attracted to recruit at NIU for its diverse student population.

Career services talks to students about researching companies before they apply to it in order to learn how the company presents itself to the public. Then, the student can decide if the company seems like a good fit for them, Pillsbury said.

Go to gayalliance.org for a list of inclusive workplaces.