Ohio University has formally launched an alternative form of student housing after a successful pilot year.
Last week, officials approved gender-neutral housing as a permanent option at OU, making it the third university in the state with those accommodations.
The gender-neutral housing pilot program began this year, allowing students to room together regardless of gender. The students participating in the program live in a South Green residence hall.
“Gender-neutral housing, for a lot of universities, is a very scary thing,” said Amelia Shaw, the resident assistant for gender-neutral housing and LGBT affairs commissioner for Student Senate. “Gender is seen as very static and unchanging in our society, so people get scared when talking about it. I couldn’t be more proud of being at the university or being a part of this.”
The decision to keep the program stemmed from feedback by participating students.
In the fall, Student Senate unanimously supported the inclusion of gender-neutral housing as a permanent option at OU. Senate worked with the Division of Student Affairs to encourage the approval of the program.
“I’m excited about it,” Vice President for Student Affairs Kent Smith said. “I think it has certainly provided a good housing option and gives students an environment that makes them comfortable.”
Shaw said a common misconception of the program is that only students who identify as LGBT can participate. However, that’s not the case.
“It’s open for anyone who lives there who feels like they can add to the community,” Shaw said. “It can be for transgender students, best friends and siblings that are opposite genders … a lot of people just live there to be a part of an accepting community where no one is judged by their gender.”
Little will change with the program’s structure next year.
“It went flawlessly this year,” Shaw said. “Other than opening up to first-year students, nothing else is going to change. It’s not any different from any residence hall. … We haven’t had any problems.”
Smith said he compares the program to residence halls that target all freshmen, all upperclassmen or students wanting a substance-free environment, because they all lend themselves to making students comfortable.
“The more options we can make available for students, the more likely we can make students successful,” Smith said.
tl674710@ohiou.edu
