BY KAYLA VALERA | STAFF WRITER

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced he would reverse bathroom protection for transgender students.

In President Barack Obama’s term in office, protection for transgender students using the bathroom according to their preferred gender (as opposed to the gender on their birth certificate) was encouraged at federally funded schools. These measures were taken to prevent discrimination and assault onto LGBTQ students.

Because of President Trump’s withdrawal of this protection, he has now passed the discretion to each individual state to decide how it will handle this issue in its own borders. Schools within the state are given the choice to either maintain these rights for LGBTQ students or be completely remiss to the overall issue.

“We at Kapi‘olani Community College are committed to all students and will continue to support our transgender students as we do all our students,” said Dr. Brenda Ivelisse, Vice Chancellor of Students. “Regardless of the changes in the federal guidance, students from all backgrounds have the right to use the restrooms of the gender they identify with. We stand as allies with the LGBTQ community on this matter. We have one gender-neutral restroom and do have plans to expand. ”

KCC’s gender-neutral bathroom is located on the second floor of ʻIlima.

“Regardless of what the federal government compels nationwide through compliance requirements, UH remains steadfast in our commitment to nondiscrimination and prevention of sexual harassment, including protections for transgender, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ+ individuals,” UH President David Lassner wrote in a system-wide email.

UH or KCC students who wish to seek assistance can contact the LGBTQ+ Center at UH Mānoa (808) 956-9250 or lgbtq@hawaii.edu. KCC no longer has an LGBTQ club on campus, but the former president of the club said she hopes to get one started up again soon.