Gender Inclusive Housing

Gender Inclusive Housing

Mason Housing & Residence Life is proud to offer a living environment that recognizes the identities of students outside the gender binary. When applying for housing, students can select to live in gender inclusive housing. Gender inclusive housing means that students from all gender identities and expressions may choose to live together in a shared suite, apartment, and/or bedroom.

Students who elect to live in gender inclusive housing will live with other students who have selected gender inclusive housing, regardless of biological sex or gender. Should a space be left available in a gender inclusive space, Housing will fill that space with a student who has opted into gender inclusive housing. Students who opted into gender inclusive housing are required to complete the gender inclusive housing agreement in the application. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is eligible? 

All students are eligible to select/preference gender-inclusive housing within their housing application. Only students who select gender-inclusive housing will be assigned into those spaces. Students with  gender-inclusive housing may only room change within gender-inclusive spaces.

Which Building/Assignments are designated as Gender Inclusive Housing?

There are no designated buildings. Gender inclusive housing will be available across campus.

All upper-level housing options are suite or apartment-style and have single-use bathrooms (one toilet and one shower).

First year students can select Gender Inclusive Housing and will also live in a Residential Learning Community. While most of our first-year housing is in traditional-style halls with male-labelled and female-labelled community bathrooms, there are some suite-style options with single-use bathrooms. Residential Learning Community information can be found here https://housing.gmu.edu/learning-communities and information regarding the amenities, including bathrooms, for each housing location can be found here: https://housing.gmu.edu/residential-learning-communities/first-year-rlcs

*Please know that depending on interest in Residential Learning Communities, building placement may change.

What if a vacancy occurs in a gender-inclusive room?

If the students in the group do not select another roommate or have an approved applicant to fill the vacancy, the housing office may place another student who has opted into gender inclusive housing into the space.

Housing and Residence Life reserves the right to consolidate students in gender inclusive housing if necessary.

How will gender-Inclusive housing be managed during room selection? 

The gender inclusive housing option is not limited to a particular residence hall and will be available in a variety of room types and buildings across campus.

Students who answer affirmatively to the gender inclusive question on their housing application and will participate in a grouping process to choose preferred roommates. 

As with any roommate match, all matches must be mutual. Students that want to live together in gender inclusive housing will all need to indicate that on their application. All roommate/suite-mate/apartment-mate matches must be mutual.

What if parents/legal guardians do not want their student to live in a gender-inclusive housing room/suite/apartment? 

We encourage all students to maintain an open dialogue with their families regarding housing decisions. Students over the age of 18 are legally able to make decisions about their housing agreements without parental consent. Students under 18 should discuss housing plans with their families, as they will be required to have parental consent.

How do I know I am accepted into gender inclusive housing?

All students may verify their selection by viewing their submitted application within the Mason Housing Portal.

Everyone who agrees to gender inclusive housing agreement as part of their housing application will be placed in gender inclusive housing.