Parents file Title IX complaint accusing Princeton of ‘gender discrimination’ through gender-neutral bathrooms – Campus Reform

Civil Rights Complaint Alleges Title IX Violations at Princeton University

Introduction

A Title IX complaint was filed on October 31 against Princeton University by the organization Defending Education. The complaint alleges that university policies regarding gender-neutral facilities and services constitute discrimination against female students. This report analyzes the complaint’s key allegations through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Analysis of Allegations Through Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 5: Gender Equality

The central focus of the complaint relates to the implementation of policies affecting SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. The complaint argues that certain university policies undermine the safety, privacy, and rights of female students.

• Gender-Inclusive Restrooms: The filing cites the university’s provision of 250 gender-inclusive restrooms as a primary concern. It specifically notes that first-year students in Yeh College and New College West are required to use communal gender-neutral facilities with partial stalls, which are alleged to compromise privacy and safety.
• Student Safety and Privacy: The complaint contends that the right of female students to female-only intimate spaces is a critical component of ensuring their security and full participation in university life, a key target of SDG 5. The filing includes reports of female students encountering male students urinating with stall doors open, highlighting a perceived failure to protect female students.
• All-Gender Housing: The university’s all-gender housing policy is also listed as a point of contention that allegedly discriminates against female students on the basis of sex.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The complaint raises questions about whether university policies are effectively reducing inequality, a core objective of SDG 10, or inadvertently creating new disparities.

1. Forced Participation: Princeton’s policy of randomly assigning first-year students to residential colleges means female students cannot opt out of housing with communal, gender-neutral bathrooms. The complaint argues this creates an unequal situation where the comfort and privacy of female students are subordinated.
2. Institutional Definitions: The filing criticizes Princeton’s Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity for defining sex discrimination as “sex or gender discrimination.” The complainants assert this conflation erases biological distinctions protected under Title IX, thereby creating an institutional inequality for female students.
3. Separate Graduation Ceremonies: The university hosts a “Rose Graduation” for women and a “Lavender Graduation” for queer and transgender students. The complaint describes this practice as “unlawful and discriminatory,” suggesting it reinforces divisions rather than promoting the inclusive societies envisioned by SDG 10.

SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

The complaint also touches upon the goals of ensuring well-being and building just, accountable institutions.

• Student Well-being (SDG 3): The university’s provision of hormone replacement therapy through its student health services is cited in the complaint. While this service aligns with promoting the health and well-being of transgender students, the complaint frames it as part of a broader policy of discrimination. Concurrently, the complaint argues that the restroom policies negatively affect the emotional and mental well-being of female students who feel their privacy is compromised.
• Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16): By filing a formal complaint with the Department of Education, the complainants are utilizing established legal channels to seek justice and hold an institution accountable. The action calls for an external investigation to ensure Princeton operates as an effective and inclusive institution in compliance with federal law.

Conclusion and Requested Action

Defending Education has formally requested that the Department of Education launch an investigation into Princeton University’s policies. The organization asks that the university be required to bring its practices into compliance with federal law. The case highlights the significant challenges faced by institutions in navigating policies of inclusion while addressing the specific rights and safety concerns of different student groups, reflecting a complex intersection of objectives related to the Sustainable Development Goals for equality, health, and justice.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article’s central theme is a complaint about alleged discrimination against female students, which directly relates to achieving gender equality. The complaint argues that Princeton’s policies on gender-neutral restrooms and housing infringe upon the safety, privacy, and rights of female students, thus creating an unequal environment.
2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The article discusses the filing of a formal Title IX complaint with the Department of Education. This action represents an appeal for justice and accountability, seeking to ensure that an institution (Princeton University) complies with national laws (Title IX). It highlights the process of using legal and governmental systems to address grievances and enforce rights.
3. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The issues are set within an educational institution. The complaint’s focus on the safety and privacy of students in university housing and restrooms relates to the provision of a safe and inclusive learning environment, which is a crucial component of quality education. The feeling of being unsafe or uncomfortable can negatively impact a student’s educational experience.
4. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article mentions the provision of “transgender health services” and “hormone replacement therapy” through student health services, connecting to access to healthcare. Furthermore, the complaint’s emphasis on the lack of safety and privacy in restrooms touches upon the mental and emotional well-being of students who feel uncomfortable or threatened in these shared spaces.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Target 5.1: “End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.” The complaint explicitly alleges that Princeton’s policies result in “discrimination on the basis of sex” against female students.
   • Target 5.2: “Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres…” The complaint’s concern that students “feel less safe” and the mention of incidents where “Female students have walked in on men urinating with the door open” relate to creating environments free from potential harassment and intimidation.
2. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.3: “Promote the rule of law… and ensure equal access to justice for all.” The filing of the Title IX complaint is a direct action to seek legal remedy and ensure the enforcement of federal law, demonstrating the use of established channels for access to justice.
   • Target 16.6: “Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.” The complaint urges the Department of Education to investigate Princeton, thereby demanding accountability from the university regarding its policies and their impact on students.
3. Under SDG 4 (Quality Education):
   • Target 4.A: “Build and upgrade education facilities that are… gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” The entire dispute revolves around whether the university’s facilities (restrooms and housing) are appropriately gender-sensitive and provide a safe environment for female students.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 5 (Gender Equality):
   • Indicator: Existence of policies alleged to be discriminatory. The article specifies Princeton’s policies of providing “250 gender-inclusive restrooms,” “all-gender housing,” and equating sex discrimination with “sex or gender discrimination.”
   • Indicator: Student-reported perceptions of safety and privacy. The article cites the complaint stating that communal stalls “have gaps, which makes using them feel less safe and private.”
2. For SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Indicator: Number of legal or civil rights complaints filed against an institution. The article is based entirely on the “Title IX complaint against Princeton University” filed by the group Defending Education.
   • Indicator: Actions taken by oversight bodies. The request for the Department of Education “to investigate Princeton’s policies” serves as a measure of institutional accountability mechanisms being activated.
3. For SDG 4 (Quality Education):
   • Indicator: Availability of gender-specific facilities. The complaint implies a lack of choice, stating it is “impossible for most female students to be able to opt out of the communal bathrooms” because of the random assignment to residential colleges.
   • Indicator: Physical characteristics of facilities. The complaint describes the restrooms as having “communal ‘gender-neutral’ restrooms with partial stalls that compromise privacy,” which is a specific, measurable feature of the educational environment.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: campusreform.org