The latest in educational diversity: Gender Neutral Washrooms

From the National Post

Queen’s new ‘dialogue’ monitors.
Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., has hired six students whose jobs as “dialogue facilitators” will involve intervening in conversations among students in dining halls and common rooms to encourage discussion of such social justice issues as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability and social class.

“We are trained to interrupt behaviour in a non-blameful and non-judgmental manner, so it’s not like we’re pulling someone aside and reprimanding them about their behaviour. It is honestly trying to get to the root of what they’re trying to say – seeing if that can be said in a different manner.”

It is just one of many recent efforts to promote diversity – such as gender-neutral washrooms, prayer space, and halal and kosher food service – at a school that is still smarting from a report on systemic racism two years ago that criticized its “culture of whiteness.”

It is heartening to know that the future leaders of Canada will have been ‘dialogue facilitated’ before being released into polite society. For the rest of us who had to struggle through our educational years without the benefits of Ideological Police – what is a gender-neutral washroom?

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