Statement by LGBTI from METU on Genderless Toilet

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Two toilets in Social Sciences building in the campus of the Middle East Technical University (METU) will be used as gender neutral.

Speaking to bianet, Murat Korkmaz from METU LGBTI+ Solidarity has said that they held a meeting with the school administration in the wake of the protest they staged in the campus in May, and that it was decided in the meeting that two toilets on the canteen floor in the Social Sciences building be used as gender neutral.

METU LGBTI+ Solidarity had submitted the petition signed by 420 students demanding gender neutral toilets, however, the administration didn’t respond for two months. Upon that, the students had changed the signs of two toilets and brought two toilets into use for two days.

Korkmaz said that the school administration agreed to have a meeting with them following the protest and the decision concerning the toilets was given in that meeting.

Stressing that gender neutral toilets have been put into practice for trans, queer and genderless students to feel more comfortable and safe against heteronormative toilets, Korkmaz said:

“Our demand has been accepted. The biggest factor in this was the protests we staged to draw the attention of school administration. The implementation has become an example of creating safe areas for the LGBTIs. Two toilets in the campus are now open to use of people of every gender”.

The first gender neutral toilet in Turkey was first implemented in the Boğaziçi University as a result of the struggle by the LGBTI Studies Club. (ÇT/TK)