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MU Offers Gender Neutral Housing Option This Upcoming Fall

Adam Procter
/
Flickr

The University of Missouri has been planning to offer gender-neutral housing to students and it is now coming this fall. The 16-bed space takes up half of the first floor in College Avenue Hall with the goal of creating a safe housing option for students who are transgender or gender nonconforming.

The MU residential website already has the revised agreement affirming they are understanding and open to having roommates, suitemates, and floormates who are transgender or nonconforming gender. MU student Mayme Jordan who is involved at the LGBTQ resource center said this housing option is a good start to be a more inclusive campus.

“I feel like this is a good transition and we can hopefully move to more rooms or spread it across campus so it’s seeing as being cornered off to one section of campus,” Jordan said.

Jordan said she happy that this ongoing initiative is finally coming to light and becoming part of MU’s campus. She also said this will allow the students to have a place where they can have a safe place to go back to while being a part of the freshmen community as well.

The 16 bed space will consist of single rooms and double suites with a shared bathroom. The director of Residential Life, Frankie Minor said he hopes the privacy with the bathroom would make students more comfortable within the housing. The revised housing agreement is to let all students be comfortable and understand when selecting their housing options. Minor said this option is important to the institution and hopes to promote inclusiveness and a welcoming environment.

“This is something out students have been asking for and I appreciate their patience as we worked to make that happen and we want to make that we truly are one Mizzou and that all people feel welcome not just on campus, but in their on-campus residence as well,” said Minor.

Minor said this option is adding another dimension to the students’ needs in order to have a more diverse housing on campus. While there are 150 other institutions that have a gender-neutral housing option, MU will be joining the movement as well. Minor said the expansion plans of this housing option will depend on student demand.

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