Inclusivity at Dulaney

Natasha Aragon, Staff Writer

With the rise of a new decade and a more open-minded society, Dulaney aspires to help anyone and everyone feel welcomed. To do so, clubs and general activities have been made to be more inclusive, providing a variety of options at hand. A great example of this would be the Spectrum club. Spectrum club advocates for the LGBTQ+ community and currently has in mind the aim of obtaining a non-gendered bathroom in Dulaney High School.

Spectrum is a club originally created in 1998 under the name of Gay-Straight Alliance or GSA. The goal of Spectrum is to create a welcoming environment for all students, including allies and those part of the LGTBQ+ community. They wish to provide students with an inclusive and accepting home regardless of sexuality or gender. In Spectrum you can find members talking about LGBTQ+ history and watching appropriate LGBTQ+ movies and documentaries. They also like to prioritize self care and a productive academic lifestyle. To do this at times you may find them doing self-care activities, completing service projects or meeting guest speakers.

With Spectrum’s purpose as advocating for the LGBTQ+ community, club members and other students approached Jodie Wohlfort, a co-sponsor for Spectrum, with the idea of a non-gendered bathroom. Both students and teachers may not identify as the binary genders of male or female. Providing a bathroom that allows them to feel comfortable would make them feel part of the school community and confident when expressing their gender identity. To achieve this goal, Wohlfort plans to speak with the administrators and gain more input from the club members.

“More members will give more ideas and more valuable input. Ultimately, I would like to have a conversation with administrators and/or Mr. Wynkoop. I would [use] input from the club about what this conversation will include (a student video/presentation, student testimonials, etc.),” Wohlfort said.

However, Spectrum club needs more members and students to join. The more students are willing to advocate for getting a non-gendered bathroom, the more likely the school will provide it.

Spectrum club is every Wednesday from after school until 3:45 in room 321. Make sure to stop by and show your support towards getting a non-gendered bathroom!