Translation: Schools in Kiel are now mandated to install gender-neutral restroom facilities to accommodate transgender students.
In the city of Kiel, the committee for schools and sports has made a significant decision to promote inclusivity and respect in schools. The committee has mandated that new and renovated schools must contain at least one gender-neutral toilet, with exceptions for buildings where regulations do not permit it. This decision was reported by the Kieler Nachrichten.
The Youth Council, an initiative of 17 elected students aged 12 to 19, has been instrumental in this change. Their campaign for gender-neutral toilets in schools has been successful, aiming to provide students who do not identify with traditional genders with their own space for relieving themselves.
The only faction that opposed this motion was the AfD, while the CDU abstained. The Kieler AfD, in particular, is against the decision to install gender-neutral toilets in schools.
This decision applies to schools in the Schleswig-Holstein state capital. Existing toilets in schools may be converted into gender-neutral facilities if a new construction of the sanitary facilities is not feasible. The goal is to ensure that all students have access to a space that aligns with their gender identity.
The Youth Council's campaign is part of a broader movement towards inclusivity and respect for transgender and non-binary students. While gender-neutral toilet policies in schools remain relatively uncommon and contested, with significant variation by state and region, especially in the United States as of 2025, evidence shows that such policies support the rights and safety of these students by providing inclusive, private restroom options.
However, the debate surrounding gender-neutral toilets in schools is not without controversy. Opponents argue that such policies threaten the privacy and safety of other students, though no evidence supports increased criminal behavior linked to these policies. Some parents and legislators prefer sex-segregated bathrooms based on traditional views or concerns over morality and privacy.
The deputy chairman of the Youth Council, Lovis Eichhorn, has expressed concern about non-binary students at Kiel schools avoiding the use of toilets due to discomfort. The goal of the gender-neutral toilets is to address this issue and foster respect, mental health, and well-being among LGBTQ+ students by reducing stigma and exclusion.
[1] Human Rights Campaign. (2021). State Laws and Policies Affecting the Well-Being of LGBTQ People. Retrieved from https://www.hrc.org/resources/state-laws-and-policies-affecting-the-well-being-of-lgbtq-people
[2] American Civil Liberties Union. (2021). Transgender Students. Retrieved from https://www.aclu.org/issues/lgbtq-rights/transgender-rights/transgender-students
[3] Movement Advancement Project. (2021). Equality Maps: Transgender-Inclusive Policies. Retrieved from https://www.mapinc.org/equality-maps/transgender-inclusive-policies/
[4] National Conference of State Legislatures. (2021). State Laws Regarding Transgender Students in School. Retrieved from https://www.ncsl.org/research/education/state-laws-regarding-transgender-students-in-school.aspx
[5] Southern Poverty Law Center. (2021). State Laws and Policies Affecting the Rights and Well-Being of LGBT People. Retrieved from https://www.splcenter.org/issues/lgbtq-rights/state-laws-and-policies-affecting-rights-and-well-being-lgbt-people
- The Youth Council's campaign for gender-neutral toilets in schools is a part of the broader movement towards education-and-self-development, aiming to provide inclusivity and respect for transgender and non-binary students.
- The debate surrounding the implementation of gender-neutral toilets in schools represents an ongoing aspect of education-and-self-development discussions, focusing on the rights, safety, and well-being of LGBTQ+ students.
