"The failure to control the body is one of the most powerful symbolic meanings of disability." (LaCom, 2007, n.p.)
"Shit has incredible power to silence and to shame us in troubling and deeply problematic ways, and for that reason alone I think it's useful to talk about it." (LaCom, 2007, n.p.)
"Shit has incredible power to silence and to shame us in troubling and deeply problematic ways, and for that reason alone I think it's useful to talk about it." (LaCom, 2007, n.p.)
Welcome to CU Access Washrooms!
This is the official website of the DBST 3001A Class Activism Project.
We are undergraduate students at Carleton University who are dedicated to fostering inclusivity and accessibility at our school. Specifically, we are looking at the accessibility within the washrooms at Carleton.
This project began in January 2024 as we evaluated washrooms across campus to determine whether or not they were accessible for everyone. Washrooms allow people to be vulnerable, and it is essential that individuals in the Carleton community feel comfortable within these settings.
We are proud of our work and are eager to share our findings to push for access in the washrooms at Carleton.
Take a look!
We are undergraduate students at Carleton University who are dedicated to fostering inclusivity and accessibility at our school. Specifically, we are looking at the accessibility within the washrooms at Carleton.
This project began in January 2024 as we evaluated washrooms across campus to determine whether or not they were accessible for everyone. Washrooms allow people to be vulnerable, and it is essential that individuals in the Carleton community feel comfortable within these settings.
We are proud of our work and are eager to share our findings to push for access in the washrooms at Carleton.
Take a look!
About Us
Land Acknowledgement We acknowledge the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation upon which Carleton University stands. We recognize that we are on stolen land and understand that there is a longstanding history. Our Mission Our mission is clear: to promote inclusivity all around campus, with a particular focus on washrooms, ensuring that every individual feels accepted and heard. Recognizing the importance of equitable access to essential facilities, we strive to create a campus environment where no one is left behind due to physical, socio-economic, or other barriers. Our Ethical Commitment As a class, we are committed to ethics and ensuring that all are equally represented. We ensured safety and respect for all members of the Carleton community. More information is posted under "Ethics Guide". |
Who Are We? We are a group of students enrolled in the Disability Studies Policy and Activism class at Carleton University during the winter semester of 2024. Committed to driving positive change, we have united to address the pressing issue of washroom accessibility on campus. What We did Our project involves a comprehensive assessment of washrooms across the Carleton University campus to determine their accessibility levels. We go beyond physical accommodations, delving into the broader concepts of inclusion and accessibility. Through our research, advocacy, and collaboration, we aim to raise awareness, propose improvements, and provide resources for navigating accessible washrooms on campus. Acknowledging Prior Work We acknowledge the valuable contributions of previous initiatives, such as the Carleton Trans Advocacy Group (CTAG) and the mapping project by Vanderbilt University. Building upon their groundwork, we strive to advance the cause of accessibility and inclusivity on our campus. |
The Process: What Did We Do All Semester?
January 10th, 2024 marks the day that our class project came to life. Our professor, Dr. Fady Shanouda, presented the topic of our class-wide project, and it is safe to say that we thought he was kidding when he said it was going to be about ‘shit’. Our initial reluctance to take this topic seriously is reflective of the issue at hand. Specifically, accessibility within the washrooms at Carleton University is not taken seriously, and we were tasked with demonstrating this.
Fady presented our topic during our first class meeting and we were off to the races – slowly, but surely. Upon reviewing a multitude of peer-reviewed articles regarding accessibility, we understood the importance of access within washrooms, and we wanted our university to represent this.
But we were taught that washroom talk was not acceptable from a very young age – we aren’t trained for this, Fady! That did not matter, the truth is that washroom talk should be acceptable when discussing the importance of accessibility and inclusion.
To get a better idea, we have described what the process of our class project looked like week-to-week below:
Fady presented our topic during our first class meeting and we were off to the races – slowly, but surely. Upon reviewing a multitude of peer-reviewed articles regarding accessibility, we understood the importance of access within washrooms, and we wanted our university to represent this.
But we were taught that washroom talk was not acceptable from a very young age – we aren’t trained for this, Fady! That did not matter, the truth is that washroom talk should be acceptable when discussing the importance of accessibility and inclusion.
To get a better idea, we have described what the process of our class project looked like week-to-week below:
January 17th: We began discussing what our research should consist of and where this research should find a home. We collectively decided that we should develop a scale of what an accessible washroom should look like and compare this to the all of the washrooms that are available for public access on Carleton's campus. We also began assigning roles, such as designated notetaker to keep track of our ideas, and we assigned two classmates to be our project leaders.
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January 24th: We developed and assigned more specific roles to ensure contribution for everyone. We created a sign-up sheet and individuals were welcome to sign up for roles in which they felt comfortable with. Also, we defined 'access' - it was important to do this as it solidified the goal in which we were trying to accomplish in assessing the washrooms on campus. Lastly, we developed a timeline of due dates to keep us on track and ensure we stay organized. This timeline also included the necessary elements that must be included within our research and final submission (scale, survey, map, access definition, website, etc.).
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January 31st: Discussion regarding roles and responsibilities, as well as scheduling adjustments took place. Also, the website team decided that our research should find a home using the website platform, Weebly.
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February 7th: The class divided up into individual groups to work on our assigned tasks. This included assigning students to specific buildings for washroom assessment, drafting emails in order to network within Carleton, as well as begin designing our website.
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February 14th: We finalized our accessibility scale as a class, offering edits and critiques where necessary. Also, the website team began developing an ethics guide and the networking liaisons began communicating with members in Carleton's community.
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February 28th: We continued working within our designated roles. Specifically, we finalized the code of ethics which can be found on this website. The bathroom assessors also began preparing themselves to audit the washrooms across campus.
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March 6th: We split up into individual groups and continued our work. The washroom assessment team began their audits across campus.
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March 13th: We did not have scheduled class this day. However, our hardworking classmates still got together to continue working on this project.
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March 20th: We celebrated the completion of the washroom assessments across campus! The statistics team began inputting the information that was collected from our assessment team into SPSS (Statistical Program for Social Sciences). Also, the website team continued organizing thoughts, ideas, and research into the website.
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March 27th: We designed posters to demonstrate our understanding of what accessibility means within the washrooms at Carleton and demonstrated how such issue can be portrayed using 'art activism'. These posters can be viewed our 'Calls to Action' page.
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April 3rd: We finalized the project and officially published the website. We discussed as well what we have learned throughout this project and our opinions around the subject.