Gender Open Housing Mac/Our Vision

from the Macalester Public Knowledge Base

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What is gender-open housing?

Currently, all campus housing at Macalester is “gendered” meaning that biological males must room with biological males, and biological females must room with biological females. The basic tenant of gender-open housing is that students could choose to live with individuals of any sex or gender.

Where on campus would gender-open housing exist?

Gender-open housing will be easiest to implement in areas where bathrooms are shared only among individuals who have chosen to live together, such as the cottages, apartments, and the GDD suites. There would be no need to create a community all-gender bathroom in those areas. Ideally, gender-open housing would eventually be dispersed across campus and available in most if not all dorms.

Would gender-open housing be available to first-year students?

In its initial stages, gender-open housing will be available only to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, with the opportunity for first-year students to make special arrangements on a case by case basis. Logistically, it will be more difficult to implement gender-open housing in first-year areas. Eventually we hope that gender-open living spaces, including all-gender bathrooms, will be available to first-years who have expressed interest. No first-year student would be arbitrarily placed with a person of a different biological sex.

Who would have access to gender-open housing? Is this only for transgendered and intersex students?

Our goal is for any student who desires to live in a gender-open environment to have that opportunity. A student’s gender identity, biological sex, and sexual orientation would have no bearing on their ability to access gender-open housing. As gender-open housing is introduced in high demand areas like the cottages and apartments, access will unfortunately be related to room draw number. Residential Life will continue to meet the needs of other individuals who have specific requirements with regard to gender, but who based on room-draw alone would not be able to access gender-open areas.

• Show your support for gender-open housing! Call Laurie B. Hamre, the Dean of Students at (651)696-6220, or Brian C. Rosenberg, the President, at (651)696-6207.

Created by the Gender Issues Committee, a self appointed group of student. Contact us at qu@macalester.edu.