An Accepting and Updated RMHS

Editor's Note: Due to the sensitive topic matter, those interviewed chose to remain anonymous.

Recently, RMHS has installed a few new "all-gender" bathrooms throughout the school, specifically on the third floor and in the field house. Their purpose is to accommodate students who don't feel comfortable using either the boys' or girls' bathrooms. This issue initially received some strong criticism, as well as some strong support, mostly on Twitter. Some students didn't seem to understand the need for such bathrooms, while others were more accepting.

In recent years, multiple students have emerged as gender neutral or gender fluid, meaning that they don’t identify as either male or female at all or that they identify as either male or female at various times. As schools must change with the times and accommodate all types of students, RMHS has chosen to install bathrooms that are not gender specific in order to satisfy the needs of these students.

One junior girl explained, "I heard a rumor that they would be taking bathrooms away from us to make them all-gender, which freaked some people out at first."

Since this rumor has passed, and the bathrooms have been labeled as all-gender, many students seem to agree that they are not directly impacted by the change. "I think they must be nice for the gender neutral students but it doesn't affect me all that much," said one junior. Because this is a rather controversial issue that has generated some strong opinions, those quoted have opted to remain anonymous.

Another agreed, saying, "They don't affect me personally but if it makes the people who wanted them feel more comfortable, then that's great." Although many have a more passive view of the subject, others feel more strongly. "It's a great way for people who feel uncomfortable using the boys' or girls' bathroom to use a bathroom for all genders," expressed one student. Similarly, one senior believes "[that] they are a great addition to the school, and allow all students to feel comfortable with who they are." Despite having positive feelings towards the change, the student worries that some may use them for the wrong reasons, like to skip typical bathroom lines or to vape.

Other students have additional worries. One suggests that though such students are now able to use a bathroom in which they feel comfortable, "it has only drawn more attention to [these students],” although whether that attention is negative or positive is of personal opinion. Another takes it further, stating that the bathrooms are in fact not inclusive of gender neutral students: "Wasn't this whole thing for inclusion? But now it seems we're segregating even more." Meanwhile, others just don't find the change necessary. Overall, regardless of the mixed opinions of the student body, the installment of these bathrooms is universally agreed upon as a big step to further RMHS's acceptance of all members of the student body.