In a recent development in New Hampshire, dozens of students walked out of their school after the district banned urinals in a compromise to a proposal that would have prevented children from using facilities based on their gender identity. The school board of Milford Middle School and Milford High School took this decision to prohibit students from using urinals or shared spaces in locker rooms.
The ban came after a long debate about district policies on bathroom use and gender identity. As per the district procedures, students can access the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity consistently asserted at school. However, a proposal was brought before the school board to no longer allow students to use school bathrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity.
Board member Noah Boudreault said that he proposed the new restrictions on bathroom use as a compromise, which was put into effect last week. The maximum occupancy for each bathroom and locker room will now be capped at the number of stalls it contains, and students will be prevented from using shared changing areas.
The students demonstrated for about 45 minutes after the walkout, holding signs that read “We want urinals”. This move by the school board comes as Republicans across the country are pushing anti-transgender legislation. While New Hampshire bans discrimination based on gender identity, state lawmakers are currently considering legislation that differentiates between the male and female sexes in various places.
(Inputs from AP)
The Chenab Times News Desk