Gender Inclusion
By default, campers are placed into gender-neutral cabins. At registration, parents and guardians may opt into a gender-segregated cabin. Our primary motivation at Camp Omni is to provide an excellent summer camp experience for all kids, and especially those who may not feel welcome at other camps.
WHY DOES CAMP OMNI NEED A POLICY ABOUT GENDER INCLUSION?
Among biologists, social anthropologists, sociologists, and many people’s experience, there is a growing consensus that sex and gender identity exists along a spectrum and, sometimes, individuals may change. Alienation of trans youth and other non-binary campers can be overt, like bullying, which we already address as part of our rules. But it can also be unintentional with very uncontroversial things like cabin assignments, cabin names, pronoun use, bathroom designations, and the very common practice of splitting up campers into groups of boys and girls for activities for no reason other than expediency. We at Camp Omni feel it is important for us to address this issue and set an example making sure that all campers are welcome and respected at our camp and in our community.
WHAT ABOUT BATHROOMS?!
We once had an eight-year-old tell us, “If someone is looking at another person’s parts, then they are doing the bathroom wrong.” All bathrooms at the camp facility will be designated as Gender-Neutral and available for use by any person, regardless of gender. All conventional social norms about respect, modesty, and civility apply.
WILL BOYS AND GIRLS SLEEP IN THE SAME CABIN?
Most will, but for the small number who opt out of a gender-inclusive cabin, no. When a camper is registered, parents will have the option to opt out of the gender-inclusive cabins and choose a cabin that corresponds to their camper’s gender. Those campers who choose the gender-segregated option will be assigned to a cabin that will have others who made the same choice. Just like all other cabins at Camp Omni, they will be fully supervised and have staff present and organizing their activities 24 hours a day.
WILL CAMPERS CHANGE IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER?
Most kids are pretty modest and have been changing in private or under their covers (in both gendered and gender neutral cabins). We don’t expect this to present problems at camp and we’ll rely on the respect, modesty, and civility of campers and examples set by staff to rule the day.
WHAT WILL THE GENDER OF THE STAFF IN THE GENDER-INCLUSIVE CABIN BE?
We will make every effort possible to staff the gender-neutral cabin with representatives of each gender that matches, as close as possible, the demographics of the cabin, however, logistics will dictate what is possible. Our existing policies about camper supervision and adult ratios will still be in place which strictly prohibits one-on-one monitoring of any camper in private and in bathrooms and encourages all campers to travel in groups of three or more.
WHAT ABOUT PRONOUNS?
Camp staff will respect the pronouns the campers choose for themselves. In the camp registration form, there will be a field to list the camper’s preferred pronoun. Our staff will do their best to use them and model to the others campers what it looks like to treat people with respect. Campers and staff who intentionally use the wrong pronouns to antagonize others will be considered bullies and that will be addressed by our leadership.
WILL CAMPERS IN THE GENDER-INCLUSIVE CABIN MISS ANY PART OF THE CAMP PROGRAM?
No, there are certain activities that campers participate in by cabin and other activities where campers are regrouped into teams, but there will be no activity where any camper will be excluded or receiving anything less than the full experience because of their cabin assignment or their gender identity. At all times, campers in the gender-inclusive cabins will fully participate and be engaged in the Camp Omni program.
WHAT ABOUT…EVERYTHING ELSE?
Camp Omni already has well-tested policies and practices that deal with all sorts of behaviors and contingencies that might arise at a summer camp for children and teenagers. We have a well-trained staff, many of whom are educators and child development professionals the other 51 weeks of the year. We address things like bullying, inappropriate behaviors, camp romances, social awkwardness, special needs and anything else you can imagine might happen at summer camp as a matter of policy and practice and don’t expect that being inclusive of non-binary campers will affect any of our best practices. We’ve had gay, trans, and other non-binary campers before and accommodated them on an ad hoc basis; this step only allows us to streamline and standardize our practices.
If you have more questions, please send them to:
Liz Shoemaker, Chair of the Camp Omni Board of Directors.