Gender Inclusive Housing Community

Thank you for your interest in Gender Inclusive Housing. You can apply for Gender Inclusive Housing within the housing application and be entered into a lottery for a room in the gender inclusive community. 

Please note, GI applications are reviewed by the Residential Life professional staff who oversee the Gender Inclusive communities throughout the residence halls. All identifiable information such as names, are removed.    

Is gender inclusive for you?

I’m glad you asked! Traditional housing structures often rely upon the idea of a strict gender binary which can be unsafe and restrictive to those who don’t fit neatly within it. Gender inclusive housing on the other hand is a safe and inclusive space for students who do not identify as cisgender to live in a community with others who also share non-cisgender identities. 

Cis-gender is defined as identifying with the same gender you were assigned at birth. Some examples of non cis gender identities include (but are not limited to): trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, gender queer, agender, and those in the process of gender exploration. 

Gender Inclusive housing is not a general LGBTQ+ themed community, nor is it meant to serve as a means for students to “learn about gender differences''. Instead it serves to give trans*, gender nonconforming, and non cisgender students the same opportunity to live in a space that they can call home without the enforcement of gender binaries and expectations.  

The following are some specific qualities of the Gender Inclusive option:

• Students living in the Gender Inclusive community may share a room with students of any gender, gender identity, or gender expression.
• There are no dedicated “boy/mens” or “girl/women” bathrooms on the Gender Inclusive floor. The bathroom is a communal bathroom and shared by all members of the community (regardless of gender, gender identity, or gender expression).

Community standards include:

• Modeling behavior that reflects a positive value and respect for gender as a non-binary construct (human beings are not necessarily “boy/man” or “girl/woman” as ascribed by their assigned gender at birth)
• Openness and desire to develop one’s own understanding about gender identity, sexual orientation, and other differences
• Working to create and promote a safe, affirming, and inclusive community for all students
• Use of inclusive and socially just language and the preferred names and gender pronouns of community members
• Education of guests about the values and community expectations of the Gender Inclusive community