Goodbye awkward change rooms, hello to private stalls at this London high school

There are a lot of reasons why teenagers might not want to strip down and change clothes in front of their peers and now, at one London high school, they won't have to.

Four all gender change rooms are being installed in what used to be a boys' bathroom at Oakridge Secondary School in West London, the brainchild of the student-run Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA).

"These new change rooms are meant to be an all-gender space. We want it to be inclusive toward gender-diverse students, as well as students who may not feel comfortable changing in a room without stalls," said Natasha Maclean, a Grade 11 student who is part of the QSA.

"They're like bathroom stalls but without the toilets and toilet paper dispensers in them. They're decently-sized spaces where people can get changed in private."

The $100,000 project has been paid for through the Thames Valley District School Board's school capital improvement fund. Part of the cost of the project included the removal of plumbing from the former bathroom.

Muslim students and those who just don't want to have to change in front of others are also happy that the new change rooms are being installed, Maclean said.

"A lot of my friends who are taking some of the fitness classes are really excited for these to be in place," she said. "Some of my Muslim friends as well, who can't really change in the girls' change room very comfortably, are excited to have this space, where they can change while adhering to their religious beliefs."

Until now, students who didn't want to change clothes in a large open change room with others used small, cramped bathroom stalls or wet and damp shower stalls, Maclean said.

The stalls were a good way to signal to students and others who may use the change rooms that there is a safe spot for students of all identities, said Mike Phillips, the principal at Oakridge.

"I hope it can be implemented in other schools and not just in Thames Valley schools but across Ontario," said Phillips. "Students that are advocating for these spaces inspire me. They're seeing things with views that are inclusive. This is an example of changing a building that was created more than 60 years ago into a space that's more accepting and affirming of all individual identities, not just for our students but also for staff and community members that use our buildings."