NEW HAVEN — Yale University is suing Connecticut over its plan to turn single-user restrooms into gender-neutral bathrooms at its law school.
Many buildings, on the Yale campus, have gender-neutral restrooms. And, because many students attending the Yale Law School say they feel uncomfortable in gender specific bathrooms, the University is making the gender neutral push in the Sterling Law Building.
"At the end of the day, the main principle is human rights," said Alexander Celorio, a Yale law student from Spain. "But, I don't know if we are prepared as a society for that radical change."
According to the building code, gender neutral restrooms do not count toward the minimum number of bathroom fixtures a building must have. So, if Yale changes the designation of some existing restrooms to gender neutral, they'd be required to build more restrooms. However, Yale Law School says there is no room.
"It limits what you can do to grow," said Mike Widener, a rare book librarian at Yale. "So, you know, it's it's a hard fact. You know, space is finite."
Compliance would be impractical, the University claims. But, the school's waiver request was twice denied. So, the school is suing the State Codes and Standards Committee.
"For general use and for gender specific use, I think having both types is fine," said Widener.
Some Yale law students said that many of their peers are in favor of the gender neutral restrooms.
"But, I do know a couple of people which might be very strongly against," said Daniel Queroga, Yale law student from Columbia. "So, I don't see, I don't see a consensus.
Yale law students say that some of the existing gender neutral bathrooms are off the beaten path. So, they're not easy to access during the quick class changeovers.
The school says amending state law would "prevent discrimination on the basis of gender identity."
Read the lawsuit here.