Equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives at Canadian universities
Ryerson University introduces student housing for all genders
Ryerson University is making its campus more equitable and inclusive, one residence at a time.
In August 2017, Ryerson announced that students would no longer need to disclose their gender when applying for on-campus housing. Instead, “all-gender” residences were established to accommodate the university’s diverse student body. In the past, non-binary students were only given three options when applying to live in residence – male, female or “other” – which created a sense of alienation and division among those who did not wish to disclose their gender as either male or female.
Today, students can choose whether they wish to self-identify or not, and they have the option to request the style of residence that best suits their needs, whether it is a “same-gender” or an “all-genders” residence. This equitable approach to housing ensures that all students – regardless of gender – feel safe, accepted and supported on campus.
