There is currently no gender-blind housing available on campus; however, a co-ed upper-class community will be available beginning this fall, said Lauren Royston, Housing and Food Services spokeswoman.

“This will be a community where male and female students will live on the same wing of a floor, in separate suites,” she said.

Oklahoma Students for a Democratic Society has been organizing a campaign to push for gender-blind housing, said Matthew Bruenig, society president.

“The main reason we support gender-blind housing is that we believe that OU has an obligation to create comfortable and safe living environments for all of its residents,” Bruenig said.

Bruenig said there are intersexed and transgender students who might be forced to “pass” in order to live under the current arrangements.

There are also gay and lesbian students who are not comfortable living in sex-segregated floors due to the social stigma of being gay that exists, especially in Oklahoma, he said.

A gender-blind housing option would create a safe space for students to live who don’t fit into traditional ideas of gender expression, said Jessie St. Amand, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered and Friends president.

Amand said the option would be especially helpful for students who are transitioning from one gender to the other while at OU.

Royston said Housing is committed to providing a safe and comfortable atmosphere.

“We will continue to work within the university’s timeline and framework for changes or additions to on-campus housing communities,” Royston said.

Amand said she believes having a gender-blind housing option would attract more students to OU.

“I get e-mails all the time from students who have been accepted to the incoming OU freshman classes, but who are weighing their options as to how LGBT-friendly and safe it might be for them here on campus,” Amand said.

Bruenig said while he believes OU is lagging behind in progressive policies, he does not really believe gender-neutral housing is a progressive policy.

“It is not about anything other than creating comfortable environments for all students,” he said.

Giving students a choice and not requiring them to live in a type of housing that they feel unsafe or uncomfortable in — whether that is sex-segregated or gender-neutral housing — is a universally agreeable idea, he said.

The Women’s Outreach Center is committed to addressing issues of gender, celebrating diversity, developing leaders, empowering women and promoting women’s achievements, said Kathy Moxley, center director.

“OU has historically supported policies and programs that support identified student needs, and the Women’s Outreach Center understands that gender-blind housing is a complex issue, both politically and logistically, and trusts that those involved in the decision-making process are taking all of these complexities into consideration,” she said.

Royston said many aspects are considered and acted upon to bring life to the university experience for on-campus residents.

At this point in time, Housing works with individuals on a one-on-one basis should they have questions about their individual housing assignments, Royston said.