On-campus housing moves towards gender inclusivity
In fall of 2018, the Minot State Office of Residence Life & Housing adopted a new, gender inclusive housing option on campus in Lura Manor.
Before, students who were not comfortable living in the traditional binary residence halls had to call the housing office and make a specific request to find an inclusive room and roommate.
The 2017-2018 Prism LGBTQ+ Club officers, including Wisconsin native Jay Gaare, current residence hall director of Lura Manor, enacted change by writing a new gender inclusive housing policy.
“I worked with the director at the time along with my friends,” said Gaare. “We talked with him about getting it actually implemented because in the past they had denied the request, so we worked on revising the statement and making it make sense for our campus.”
The current process for a gender inclusive application is easy. All a student has to do is apply for housing normally and choose the gender inclusive option, which appears in the same dropdown menu as the others.
Today, the student who picks this option will live in a suite in Lura Manor along with a residence assistant of their choosing.
Although this is a step in the right direction, the perfect gender inclusive housing environment is still in the works.
“It’s still kind of in its beginning stages, and there’s still work to be done,” said Gaare. “The hope is to create a more inclusive environment for on-campus students so they don’t feel like they have to choose to live with one gender, and they feel more respected and safe if they are transgender or nonbinary.”
Gaare hopes the inclusive option will grow in the future.
“My ideal housing would be open to all, LGBTQ+ folk and allies,” they said. “They could register to live in either Crane or Lura, because as of now, those are the two halls that do not have co-ed by floor layouts.”
After all, the more people who apply for gender inclusive housing, the more inclusive it can be. Even if a student does not identify as transgender or nonbinary, they can still apply for gender inclusive housing and be an ally for a student who does.
For more information on gender inclusive housing, visit the Residence Life website.
About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through
rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.
| Published: 11/29/19 |
