LGBTQ community applauds SD23’s endorsement of gender neutral washrooms

The local LGBTQ community is applauding a move by the Central Okanagan School District to approve gender neutral washrooms.

The Okanagan Pride Society says the SD23 school board has approved a motion to change single-use washrooms signage to reflect gender neutrality.

SD23 said for the most part, signage was the only change required to accommodate LGBTQ students and that no major infrastructure changes were required.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The society said the move has made schools in the Central Okanagan feel safer.

“This sends a really strong message of encouragement to our youth within the community,” said Okanagan Pride Society president Dustyn Baulkham.

“Schools can be a tough place for LGBTQ+ youth and the simple act of choosing a washroom can be filled with anxiety for people who are not comfortable using facilities with the all-too-common male-female signage. This will hopefully help alleviate their concerns,” he said.

According to the Okanagan Pride Society, school districts and some universities in several other Canadian cities have added gender neutral signage to washrooms to accommodate the LGBTQ community.