Gender Inclusive Facilities
About Gender Inclusive Facilities
Interactive Gender-Inclusive Facilities Map
What is a gender-inclusive facility?
A gender-inclusive facility is a facility, including but not limited to restrooms, showers, locker rooms, and changing rooms, usable by persons of all gender identities and expressions and that is not gender specific. A facility shall provide privacy and security for the individual user. Gender-inclusive facilities shall include spaces and fixtures equivalent to gender-specific facilities. Historically these have been designated as Male & Female or Men & Women.
What is the purpose?
Many people may experience difficulty, inconvenience, or harassment when using gender-specific restrooms and facilities. Gender inclusion should provide access and equality by creating an environment that is accessible and respectful of all individuals. Therefore, the purpose of having gender-inclusive facilities (GIF) is to create an inclusive environment that is safe, accessible, and convenient.
Goal
The goal is that no individual would need to leave their current building to locate a restroom, shower, or changing facility. In accordance with the university nondiscrimination policy, GIF hopes to follow the guidelines that seek to create an inclusive campus environment in accordance with the university nondiscrimination policy.
Where do I find a gender-inclusive facility?
The Irvine campus has gender-inclusive restrooms (GIRRs) available throughout the campus and medical center. All single-user restrooms on campus have been designated gender-inclusive restrooms. In addition, a few multi-user restrooms have been converted to GIRRs. All new buildings with public restrooms also include GIRRs. The GIF Work Group is working with units on campus to add additional gender-inclusive restrooms in older buildings on campus. You can find GIRR locations on the campus interactive map or on the Gender Inclusive Restrooms list, which includes locations at the UCI Medical Center.
History
The history of Gender Inclusive Facilities (GIF) is traced back to 2003 when the Health Education Center (now Student Wellness and Health Promotion) opened the first gender-inclusive facility as part of the renovated Student Center. By 2013, UCI converted more than 180 single-occupancy restrooms to gender-inclusive facilities. Since then, UCI has come up with drafts and proposals that hope to provide a safer gender-inclusive environment that follows the guidelines (see GIF guidelines). See the following History to keep track of GIFs.
| Year | Report |
| 2003 | Health Education Center (now Student Wellness and Health Promotion) opened the first gender-inclusive facility as part of the renovated Student Center. |
| 2009 | UCI converted 22 single-occupancy restrooms across campus to gender-inclusive facilities. The Counseling Center converted two gender-specific restrooms into the first on-campus gender-inclusive multi-stall restrooms. |
| 2013 | By 2013 UCI converted more than 180 single-occupancy restrooms to gender-inclusive facilities. |
| 2014 | President Janet Napolitano endorsed a recommendation from the UC Task Force and Implementation Team on LGBT Climate and Inclusion to create gender-inclusive facilities and practices in UC-owned buildings. |
| 2015 | University of California Office of the President issued gender-inclusive facilities guidelines to create an inclusive campus environment and to provide direction on the implementation of gender-inclusive facilities in UC-owned facilities, including new construction, existing, and renovated facilities. |
| 2015 | UC Draft Guidelines for Providing Gender-Inclusive Facilities |
| 2017 | The UCI School of Law converted two gender-specific restrooms into multi-stall gender-inclusive facilities. |
| 2018 | UCI boasted more than 280 gender-inclusive facilities across the campus. |
| 2018 | Anteater Learning Pavilion | Mesa Towers |
| 2018-2022 | Built/plan single occupancy gender-inclusive facilities as part of new buildings. |
| 2019 | UCI built new single occupancy gender-inclusive facilities as part of renovation projects o Aldrich Hall | Humanities Hall | Social Ecology 1 | Information Computer Science 1 | Hewitt Hall. |
| 2019 | Middle Earth Expansion |
| 2020-2021 | UCI built new multi-stall gender-inclusive facilities as part of renovation projects o Croul Hall | Law School | Social Science Lab | Medical Education (expected completion 2023) |
| 2021 | Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Building o Future Projects - ICMC | Center for Advance Care | College of Health Science & Nursing | Verano 8 Graduate Housing |
Guidelines
In accordance with the university nondiscrimination policy, GIF guidelines seek to create an inclusive campus environment in accordance with the university nondiscrimination policy. The guidelines include campus process, initial audit, and facility renovation. Below is a summary of some key elements. The full guidelines are available in section RD4.1 of the UC Facilities Manual.
Campus Process
Establish a site-specific process to guide and review campus efforts toward gender-inclusive facilities.
Initial Audit
Perform an initial audit of restrooms and other gender-specific facilities in all UC-owned buildings.
Convert Existing Facilities
Convert single-occupancy or single-stall restrooms in all UC-owned buildings from gender-specific to gender-inclusive facilities with privacy and security.
Restrooms
For new UC-owned buildings beginning design on or after July 1, 2015, provide at least one gender-inclusive restroom on each floor. When extensive renovations are made to existing restrooms (when the construction cost for the renovation exceeds 50% of the restroom replacement cost) or when extensive renovations are made to one or more floors on an existing building (more than 50% of the replacement cost of the area being renovated) in buildings that do not already have at least one gender-inclusive restroom, the project shall provide a gender-inclusive restroom in the same building.
Changing Rooms
For new buildings, construct at least one gender-inclusive changing room where locker rooms or changing rooms are provided. For major renovations, construct at least one gender-inclusive private changing room.
Showers
Construct gender-inclusive showers in new buildings in which showers are provided. Construct at least one gender-inclusive shower in each location in any building where showers are provided when a major renovation occurs or when the existing showers are renovated.
List of Locations
Prominently list the locations of gender-inclusive facilities on campus websites.
Signs
For restrooms, the required sign on the door shall be a white triangle within a blue circle, without gender pictograms and may include the term "Restroom." Directional signs that indicate the location of the nearest facility that IS inclusive within the facility, or the nearest facility, shall be provided.
Hardship
In instances where hardship may preclude full compliance with these guidelines, campus entities may request that a waiver from the guidelines be approved according to the process and criteria for review and approval of waivers as established by each campus location.