You are here: American University Campus Life Housing & Residence Life All-Gender Housing

All-Gender Housing

We offer all-gender housing as an option to ensure AU's Residence Life is a supportive space for students of all gender identities ad expressions. All-gender housing allows students to reside with other students regardless of sex assigned at birth, gender, gender identity, or gender expression.

This option is intended for students who wish to share a room and suite (if applicable) with other students of ay gender identity. Note that with the exception of specifically designated all-female housing locations, buildings and floors within first year communities are co-ed. Choosing all-gender housing means your roommate(s)and suite mates will have selected into all-gender housing

Offering an all-gender housing option to all students, allows increased choice in selecting roommates. It affords students maximum responsibility for their own room assignment and is consistent with the University’s commitment to learning through students’ active decision-making and engagement in the learning environment.

An all-gender housing assignment is optional. Students who do not opt in will experience a housing assignment directed by the birth sex that is on file and will be assigned a roommate with the same birth sex. (Definition: For the purposes of Housing and Residence Life, sex is a term referring to the legal sex of a person. 

Students will indicate their desire for this option through the AU Housing Portal’s online application. No response to this question will default to a same-gender housing assignment. Students who indicate yes to this option will be paired/grouped with other students within their specific community designation for their room and roommate(s) placement.

Gender-Based Consideration Request

More information coming soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

First-time residents are assigned roommate pairing by the Housing office, while sophomores and upperclassmen participate in a self-selection of their housing space. During the application processes, all students will be presented with the same opt-in question on their housing application.

After opting into all-gender housing, first-year students will be placed within the pool of students who opted for all-gender housing. Sophomores and upperclassmen will only view “all-gender spaces” available during room selection.

Housing & Residence Life (HRL) recommends that students complete the entire housing application by themselves and share any housing information with their families should they desire. HRL communicates assignment information directly to students through their AU email account and will not disclose application information to anyone but the student.

HRL will need to maximize the use of all available spaces on campus. We will work with the current occupant(s) to identify solutions such as placement of a student who has confirmed interest in all-gender housing. Just as with any vacancy, residents cannot refuse a roommate placement if the student is interested in an all-gender housing option. If no interested student can be identified to fill the vacancy, HRL may re-designate the room as gender specific. This may involve an administrative reassignment of some or all students to other spaces within the system.

No, as long as the residents of the entire living unit (a bedroom for traditional halls or the entire suite/apartment for other housing styles) are in agreement to participate. It is important to note that not all residence halls have all-gender common area restrooms or private bathrooms.

No additional forms or agreements are required. Residents of those units will participate in the same Roommate Living Agreement process facilitated by their Resident Assistant, as would any other living unit.

Bathroom Types in Traditional-style Residence Halls

Bathroom types in traditional style residence halls
Building Type of Bathroom How many people share? Single User Bathroom and Shower Available on the Floor? How Many Per Floor? ADA Accessible? Notes

Anderson Hall

Multi-user bathroom. Gendered.

Whole floor

Yes

2

Yes

-

Hughes Hall

Multi-user bathroom. Gendered.

Whole floor

Yes

1

Yes

-

Leonard Hall

Multi-user bathroom. Gendered.

Whole floor

No

-

-

-

Letts Hall

Multi-user bathroom. Gendered.

Whole floor

Yes (3 floors only)

1

Yes

1 south, 2 South & 3 South only

McDowell Hall

Multi-user bathroom. Gendered.

Whole floor

No

-

-

-

Roper Hall

Multi-user bathroom. Gendered.

Whole floor

Yes (1 floor only)

1

Yes

1st floor only