Icelandic school goes ‘gender neutral’

A primary school in Iceland is taking steps to become ‘gender neutral’, including removing all gender signs from their toilet doors.

In an interview with gayiceland.is, the Head of Akurskóli Primary School in south-west Iceland told Jóhanna Ýr Jónsdóttir that all schools should be taking such steps, in order to reflect the gender diversity of children and allow them to feel comfortable at school.

Gender-specific signs have been removed from toilet doors and prescriptive rules on swimming attire have been abolished. Children can now use any toilet they choose, while girls wishing to wear swimming trunks or boys wishing to wear swimsuits may do so.

“Since there are currently children attending the school who are gender-fluid or trans, it is not up to us – the school – to force them or anybody else into a pre-designed form,” says Sigurbjörg Róbertsdóttir, Head of the pioneering school.

Both staff and parents are reportedly delighted with the innovation.

You can read the full interview with Róbertsdóttir here.