17 May 2023

Leiden Law School has two new all-gender toilet blocks in addition to the all-gender toilets that already exist on the ground floor. These new all-gender toilet blocks are located on the first floor of the KOG, in the C section next to the Cleveringa lecture theatre. Most faculties within our university have now introduced all-gender toilets.

Why are all-gender toilets important?

Our faculty is diverse in many areas, including ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, health, religion, age, and socio-economic background. We strive to create an open and inclusive community where everyone feels recognised and welcome. The introduction of all-gender toilets is an important step to support trans students/staff, non-binary students/staff and others who do not identify within binary gender frameworks. These toilets contribute to a safe and inclusive learning and working environment, where everyone, regardless of gender, can use the toilet without concern. Together, we create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.

The sign on the all-gender toilet door

We want everyone to feel understood and welcome, without pigeonholing or excluding people. Therefore, it is important to put out a message that is inclusive and clear. One way to do this is to use symbols that focus on the facilities and use of the toilet, rather than referring specifically to people. After all, we want everyone to be able to go to the toilet without any problems. Therefore, we decided to use symbols that show what facilities are available, without focusing on gender. To make it easy to understand for everyone.

Women's and men's toilets

We would like to highlight that the designations 'women' and 'men' are still being used for the other toilets. However, we understand that there is a growing need for inclusive and gender-neutral facilities. We are aware of this desire and are currently exploring options to make our toilet facilities even more inclusive in the future. We will keep you informed of any changes.