Evergreen Reporter

America First Legal (AFL) has announced a significant development regarding Kenyon College's restroom policy. The college, located in Ohio, has ended its policy requiring female students to share restrooms with male students. This decision follows complaints filed by AFL with both federal and state authorities, citing violations of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Ohio law.

On March 12, 2025, AFL lodged formal complaints with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. These complaints urged investigations into Kenyon College's policy that mandated shared multi-occupancy restrooms for men and women, which AFL argued was a misinterpretation of Ohio law.

The complaints highlighted that Kenyon College had incorrectly applied the law to student restrooms in residence halls and athletic facilities while intending to keep gender-neutral multi-occupancy restrooms in academic and administrative buildings. However, according to AFL, the law clearly prohibits such facilities anywhere on campus.

Following these actions, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office reached out to Kenyon College about its restroom policy. This communication reminded the institution of its legal obligations under Ohio statutes.

Subsequently, Kenyon College revised its compliance statement based on guidance from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The updated statement affirms that “[t]he law applies to multi-occupancy facilities anywhere on campus that a student may use.”

As a result of these changes, all multi-occupancy restrooms at Kenyon College will now be designated exclusively for either men or women. This ensures that female students are no longer required to share restrooms with male students on campus.

America First Legal expressed satisfaction with this outcome as part of their efforts to uphold women's rights on college campuses and ensure adherence to legal standards by educational institutions.