Objective 3: Center Equity Community Needs in Campus Environments and Spaces

In 2023, in collaboration with the Office of EDI-R, the Waterloo Undergraduate Students Association (WUSA), and the Glow Centre, the all-gender washroom initiative was launched to enhance campus inclusivity, and improve access for Two Spirit, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming (2STNBGNC) members of our campus community.   

In the initial phase of the project, 59 washrooms were converted to all-gender facilities across 22 buildings on Waterloo’s main campus. Subsequent phases will focus on accessibility improvements, the exploration of additional amenities such as ablution facilities, and the expansion of all-gender washroom options to satellite campuses, the Affiliated Federal Institutions of Waterloo (AFIWs), and Campus Housing.  

In 2023, the University launched a long-awaited initiative aimed at breaking down barriers and ending the stigma surrounding menstruation. This initiative was focused providing everyone on campus has access to free menstrual products, while fostering a respectful and supportive environment through education geared at removing the shame and stigma sometimes associated with menstruation. 

The Menstrual Equity Initiative was launched in collaboration with various campus partners, including, but not limited to: Campus Wellness, Office of Indigenous Relations, Plants Operations, Faculties, Student Support Services (SSO), the Graduate Student Association (GSA), and the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA).   

Through this initiative, which also received approximately $9,000 in funding from the Sustainability Action Fund.

The initiative included a successful launch event, three informative lunch and learn sessions, and five booth sessions, reaching 112 participants. 

Feedback from the campus community has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for the accessibility of menstrual products and the supportive nature of the initiative. Comments such as “Having products in the washrooms has saved me so many times!” and “This is exactly the kind of initiative we need on campus to create communities of support” highlight the initiative's success in meeting the needs of students and employees.