Kochi, Gender-friendly toilets that can be used regardless of sex at a state university in Kerala have triggered a heated debate on social media platforms.
Gender-neutral toilets, which have been present for years on the campus of the well-known Government Maharaja's College here, have suddenly become a topic of debate, with some netizens expressing support for the idea and others against it.
A recent Facebook post by writer and columnist Ram Mohan Paliyath about his experience using the gender-responsive toilet during his campus visit started the debate on social media platforms.
In the Facebook post, the writer, also an alumnus of the university, praised the initiative and said it was the first time in the last 57 years that he had used such a facility.
A large number of people commented under his Facebook post, both for and against gender-friendly bathrooms. It later sparked a heated debate on various social media platforms.
While most people hailed the gender-friendly initiative of the university authorities as a progressive measure, there was also a section of people who indulged in trolling and posting sarcastic comments against the university and its students.
However, students and university management rejected the criticism as an expression of narrow-mindedness.
Sources at Maharaja's College said that there are gender-friendly toilets on campus since 2018. At present, more than 30 toilets in various study departments on campus are gender-friendly, they said.
One student said there is nothing unusual about gender-neutral bathrooms. "Do we have separate bathrooms for men and women in our houses? So what's wrong with using the same bathroom for male and female students on a college campus?" he asked her.
Another student, a woman, raised suspicions that the current dispute was a deliberate move to tarnish the university. "These gender-friendly toilets have been around for some time. Suddenly, it's become a topic of debate," she said.
College vice-principal Dr Suja T V said gender-neutral toilets were introduced years ago as part of attempts to make Maharaja's College an inclusive campus.
"All spaces here should be accessible to everyone. Every individual should be treated as such, regardless of gender. That was the goal," he told a news channel.
He also called criticism of the initiative on social media narrow-minded.
Gender-neutral toilets, which have been present for years on the campus of the well-known Government Maharaja's College here, have suddenly become a topic of debate, with some netizens expressing support for the idea and others against it.
A recent Facebook post by writer and columnist Ram Mohan Paliyath about his experience using the gender-responsive toilet during his campus visit started the debate on social media platforms.
In the Facebook post, the writer, also an alumnus of the university, praised the initiative and said it was the first time in the last 57 years that he had used such a facility.
A large number of people commented under his Facebook post, both for and against gender-friendly bathrooms. It later sparked a heated debate on various social media platforms.
While most people hailed the gender-friendly initiative of the university authorities as a progressive measure, there was also a section of people who indulged in trolling and posting sarcastic comments against the university and its students.
However, students and university management rejected the criticism as an expression of narrow-mindedness.
Sources at Maharaja's College said that there are gender-friendly toilets on campus since 2018. At present, more than 30 toilets in various study departments on campus are gender-friendly, they said.
One student said there is nothing unusual about gender-neutral bathrooms. "Do we have separate bathrooms for men and women in our houses? So what's wrong with using the same bathroom for male and female students on a college campus?" he asked her.
Another student, a woman, raised suspicions that the current dispute was a deliberate move to tarnish the university. "These gender-friendly toilets have been around for some time. Suddenly, it's become a topic of debate," she said.
College vice-principal Dr Suja T V said gender-neutral toilets were introduced years ago as part of attempts to make Maharaja's College an inclusive campus.
"All spaces here should be accessible to everyone. Every individual should be treated as such, regardless of gender. That was the goal," he told a news channel.
He also called criticism of the initiative on social media narrow-minded.
