GLASSBORO — A sign hangs boldly on a restroom door in the gymnasium at Rowan University, welcoming anyone to use the facility despite "gender identity or expression."

All-gender restrooms are a recent development for the Glassboro university after students of the LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Asexual) community have continued to push for gender equality.

While there are only a few to be found on the campus, according to Prism President Kailee Whiting, more are on their way in various lecture hall buildings. Prism is a student organization that focuses on supporting, educating, and spreading awareness for LGBTQA community.

"I know people are absolutely overjoyed by the fact Rowan has gender neutral bathrooms," Whiting said, adding that there are two all-gender restrooms in the Esby gymnasium, as well as one in Wilson Hall.

Also, there is a new gender neutral restrooms under construction in Robinson Hall.

"We understand there is a need and there are a couple on campus — it's something that we've been listening to students about," Rowan spokesman Joe Cardona said Wednesday afternoon.

Whiting also added that there is a difference between gender neutral and unisex restrooms — identity. Gender is how an individual identifies him or herself while sex is the genetics when someone is born.

"This is also for students who have not transitioned yet, or are in the process. There are also people out there who don't classify themselves as anything," Whiting said.

While many feel these newer restrooms on campus are a positive move, other students have expressed concerns.

"I just think people don't understand or see the purpose and that's because they just don't have personal experience with it," Whiting said.

Rowan junior Brian Hill believes the reaction of the community stems from maturity.

"Personally, for me, if you're mature enough you can handle situations like this but most people won't accept it at first," Hill said.

Student Devon D'Agostino agreed with Hill and said the success of these restrooms will stem from how others handle it.

"I'm fine with the gender neutral bathrooms, but I think it's something that needs to be eased into. People will accept the change, but I think they just gotta get used to it," D'Agostino said.

For Erica Venuti, a senior at Rowan, while she said the effort is positive, creating these neutral restrooms could cause more of a problem by singling out those who identify differently.

"By making gender neutral bathrooms, they are trying to do good, but I think in reality it's going to single people out, and that's not safe," Venuti said.

Venuti said she's seen gender neutral restrooms outside of the college campus but they created an uneasy response to those who use these restrooms.

Geneva Gerwitz, also a junior at Rowan, once attended community college in Philadelphia. While there, Gerwitz discovered gender neutral restrooms for the first time.

"There was definitely a lot of judgment from people. I wanted to go in and look because I had never seen one but when I came out, a lot of people gave me nasty looks," Gerwitz continued.

One of the biggest obstacles right now, according to Whiting, is the negative feedback and bashing that happens on social media sites such as Twitter and YikYak.

"On social media, it's an ongoing thing and it's disheartening when it happens," Whiting said.

For Rowan senior Lisa Tischio, the negative talk about the topic has been on the rise.

"I think it's important for all students to feel safe. But the past few weeks, there has been a lot of hateful talk on social media, and they are people in our student population," Tischio said.

The biggest challenge, Tischio added, is to keep students from feeling outed or unsafe.

"I think they are necessary because there is a whole population here that is not acknowledged. I think gender neutral bathrooms is just one step of a larger picture," Tischio said.

Educating the public is an important step, but senior Ali Case said overcoming prejudice or stigma is really the issue.

"At the end of the day, how do we change how someone is raised or rooted?" Case questioned, and added that belonging and not feeling ostracized is important but it comes down to how people think.

Rowan University Office of Social Justice Inclusion Conflict Resolution Director Gardy Guiteau, along with other faculty, staff, and administration will continue to meet to discuss these changes, as well as the best practices for labeling the restrooms.

"There's conversation on how do we make sure new construction is continuing but gender neutral topics are definitely on the radar," the director said.

Despite the mixed thoughts on the all-gender restrooms, everything comes down to time, according to Katelyn Griffith, a junior at Rowan.

"I think there is a lot to understand, but it doesn't mean people are going to accept it or not. Like anything else, change takes time," Griffith said.

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Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@southjerseymedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.