Defending Ed Files Civil Rights Complaint Against University of Washington for Violations of Title IX

On April 30, Defending Education filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education against the University of Washington (UW) for apparent violations of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. 

Title IX was passed specifically to rectify longstanding discrimination against women and level the educational playing field. But UW is violating that promise of equality by refusing to give its female students access to single-sex intimate spaces. In fact, UW insists on forcing female students to share intimate spaces—specifically bathrooms and locker rooms—with male employees, students, and even guests. For example, the university’s “Transgender Resources for UW Employees” document clarifies that the University permits male employees to enter female students’ restrooms and locker rooms at will, based on the employee’s personal comfort level. The resource also states that UW employees may use restrooms that are either “aligned with your gender or whichever choice you are most comfortable with.” Indeed, some of the University’s buildings have no single-sex facilities at all, forcing women to either compromise their privacy by using an “all gender” restroom or walk across campus to find a building that does. 

UW is prioritizing its employees’, guests’, and male students’ comfort levels over its own female students’ Title IX rights, ensuring that the sex discrimination of old is new again. We look forward to the Department of Education’s investigation of UW and rectification of what has become all too common an occurrence on college campuses across the nation.