Transgender students bathroom use is a topic that's on the agenda for many school boards across the country. A couple of months ago, the Office of Civil Rights crafted new guidelines. These say schools may have separate male and female restrooms, but transgender students must be allowed to use the bathroom for the gender they identify with.

Many schools across the country have been pressured to change their own district guidelines. That's because the Obama Administration has threatened to take away federal funding. It's something that has molded guidelines in the Wausau District. In fact, the Wausau School Board members just talked about this last month.

For some local students at the college level, they've already experienced what it's like to have gender neutral restrooms, like Lyn Chiurro. The UWSP student identifies as non-binary or gender non-conforming. That means, Chiurro doesn't consider themself a man or women.

"That idea doesn't fit for me," said Chiurro. "I don't feel I'm one or the other; I'm between. I am a person. I have my own story or identity. Gender is not an aspect of that. It's not important to me."

Chiurro has worked on programs at UWSP in the past to help the transgender community and make others on campus more aware. The gender neutral bathrooms at UWSP help with this effort too.

"It's a way for students to feel that they are not being ignored, that they are not being excluded," said Chiurro. "That they're concerns are being heard. That they have a place where they can go and do a basic invital part of human life."

Allowing transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice has come to the high school level, especially because the Obama Administration has threatened to take away federal funding to local schools. That could mean about 8.5 million for the Wausau School District, if they don't comply.

"It's difficult because it's a new issue," said the Board President, Lance Trollop. "It's difficult because we have people on both sides of the issue."

Trollop says the district will handle each situation on a case-by-case basis and if a student, who consistently identifies as a gender opposite their gender assigned at birth, they could be allowed to use the bathroom or locker room that aligns with that gender identity.

"The school district has an interest in every student being successful to do that you need an individualized approach," said Trollop.

The acceptance is something Chiurro feels at UWSP.

"I really do think there is a space for people like me and me," he said with a small smile.

There has been backlash across the country. Nearly half the states in the country, including Wisconsin, filed lawsuits challenging the Obama Administration's Enforcement to protect transgender students. Also in the state, Republican Jesse Kremer plans on re-introducing a bill aimed at regulating transgender students ability to use the bathroom of their choice. The bill that failed to pass last year.