UCD introduce gender-neutral toilets: 'One of our great strengths is our diversity'

University College Dublin today launch a new gender identity policy which will include the opening of transgender bathrooms on the campus.

Over 100 toilets at UCD are set to be re-designated as gender-neutral.

The move, which comes under 'UCD's gender identity and expression policy' is said to be one of a number of initiatives to make the university more welcoming to transgender and gender-fluid students and employees.

Speaking on the Ray D'Arcy Show today, Sam Brophy (19), a computer science student and secretary of the LGBTQ society who identifies as non-binary explained the term to listeners.

"I don't identify as either male or female, so we refer to those as binary genders - they're the two options that you're given, when you're born you're either male or female."

Sam welcomed the changes, saying that it will remove the decision being made about which bathroom to use.

"Well, which one am I gonna go to like? Going to the female one is not good for me emotionally, it makes me feel bad and wrong.

"But going to the male bathrooms, there's a constant fear or confrontation."

Changes to the campus include gender-neutral bathroom stalls with new signs, staff and students will be allowed to declare their own gender and students will also be allowed to change their own pronouns on official UCD documentation, removing the need to acquire a gender recognition cert.

170 single stall toilets are to be converted with plans to build several multi-stall gender-neutral facilities.