In deference to its queer students, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) will provide gender-neutral hostel spaces to students in the coming academic year. In a recent email sent to MA students, the institute announced that it has reserved one part of an existing hostel for this purpose. "In keeping with the principle of inclusion and affirmation of gender diversity, a separate hostel space, which will be gender neutral, has been allocated on the ground floor of hostel IV. Self-identified transgender/ non-binary/ gender non-conforming persons can apply for rooms in it. Rooms will be allotted on a first-come-first-served basis," read the email. This will be a first for the country.
As of now, 10 rooms have been marked as gender-neutral rooms, which can accommodate 20 students. "After getting requests from students to have gender-neutral spaces in the campus, the administration formed a committee with students representatives to come up with a concrete policy," said PK Shahajahan, Dean, Student Affairs of the institute.
In September 2017, the institute's general body unanimously passed a resolution to have gender-neutral hostel rooms and washrooms after a few members of the TISS Queer Collective raised the issue. "It's good to see that one of the major demands has been addressed. We now look forward to other changes such as gender-neutral washrooms," said Sai Tejo from the TISS Queer Collective.
Shahajahan said that the institute will come up with a decision regarding gender-neutral washrooms soon.
MAKING HEADWAY
In February 2018, the institute added the gender neutral 'Mx' to the existing list of honorifics — Mr, Ms, Mrs and Dr — on the forms that students have to fill out before convocation.
