The Protect All Students Act included in SB 104, widely known as the “Bathroom Bill,” is set to go into effect on Feb. 25. The bill prohibits K-12 and all public and private universities from creating and supporting all-gender restrooms, locker rooms and shower rooms. 

Transfusion, Kent State’s student organization for transgender and non-binary students, held a meeting and presentation on Jan. 29 explaining the repercussions of SB 104 and how it could affect students’ lives at KSU.

Presenters included Amanda Feaster, the director of Student Accessibility Services, and Morgan Woodin, the coordinator of operations and special projects for the Division of People, Culture and Belonging. They explained that the bill does not impact the upkeep and creation of KSU’s universal restrooms, family restrooms or family locker rooms, as they are single-use facilities.  

“I feel like a lot of these Republican lawmakers do not see trans or queer people in general as on the same level as them,” said Harper Whitecar, a transgender junior environmental conservation biology major. “I don’t want to say sub-human, but it definitely seems that way, just based off of the language that they’ve been using. 

“No matter what, I’m still going to be around,” she said. “They’re not just going to legislate us out of existence.” 

Kent State has an interactive map available that allows students to filter and sort through different facilities. One filter option includes single-user restrooms, dorm rooms and single-user shower rooms. 

“We have updated and are continuing to update the campus map,” Feaster said during the presentation. “We’re also going to be working on increasing the number and awareness of universal restrooms so that everyone knows where those are.”  

Feaster and Woodin said a committee of faculty from across all of Kent’s campuses is working together to address the bill. A FAQ website with general information about the bill has been published through the Division of People, Culture and Belonging website.

The website states that some dorm bathrooms will experience signage changes that students should double-check before entering. Private dorm restrooms will remain unaffected.

“This is going to be a bill that is going to impact anybody at Kent State,” Woodin said.

According to the Ohio School Boards Association website, universities must designate all multi-use student restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms and shower rooms to either the male or female biological sex. 

It was also clarified that “biological sex” would be defined as the biological indication of male and female, including sex chromosomes and naturally occurring sex hormones.

Feaster said enforcement of the bill has remained unclear.

“It puts the responsibility on universities,” Feaster said. “The bill is saying that institutions may not knowingly permit. The bill is about universities and K-12 schools, not individuals.”

Feaster and Woodin did not clarify what repercussions students would face if they were found to be using a bathroom of their opposite sex. 

“It is very vague in terms of how it would be enforced,” Whitecar said.

Whitecar feels that transgender students will not be the only people subject to repercussions. 

“I’d say it would happen almost as much [to cisgender students] as trans people would be getting in trouble for it,” Whitecar said. “It effectively incentivizes people to harass trans individuals, and not just trans individuals, anybody who looks to appear outside of the gender binary.” 

Ivory Herman, a sophomore journalism major, said he feels that KSU has not done a good job with advocacy. 

“I feel as though Kent State could really do a lot more to show their empathy for a lot of demographics,” Herman said. “I know that it’s hard because they don’t want to be biased and judgmental to other groups, but knowing and coming to Kent State as a liberal arts school, I think that it’s kind of a given that we’re more left here.” 

KSU has not released an official statement addressing SB 104. Woodin said they are planning to release one before the bill goes into effect. Students who have additional questions are encouraged to email [email protected]. 

“Our priority is to develop clear and compassionate guidance for implementing the new state requirements, prioritizing the safety and dignity of all our students, staff, faculty and visitors,” Woodin said.

Aryn Kauble is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].