Tawonga welcomes children all across the gender spectrum and assigns bunks based on a variety of factors. Our goal is to ensure that every child who attends Camp is welcomed, included, and celebrated.
All-Gender Cabins in 2027
⛺ Rising 5th-6th graders – Session 2 (June 20 – July 2)
⛺ Rising 7th-8th graders – Session 2 (June 20 – July 2)
⛺ Rising 9th-10th graders – Session 3 (July 4 – 23)
We offer boys cabins, girls cabins, and all-gender cabin options. All-gender cabins are good options for children who identify as nonbinary, trans or gender expansive, prefer to bunk with children of other genders, who want to be part of an LGBTQ+ affinity space, or for campers who feel this is the best fit for any reason.
Fraternal twins who want to bunk together often enjoy living in an all-gender cabin as well. Transgender campers are welcome in all bunks including the all-gender cabins.
All-gender cabins allow us to accommodate more campers’ gender identities and housing preferences. This is aligned with Tawonga’s mission of encouraging all campers to be their authentic selves. Our goal is to ensure that every child who attends Camp is welcomed, included, and celebrated.
Tawonga believes there is not one right way to express your gender, and we encourage all campers to be themselves regardless of what cabin they live in.
If there isn’t enough interest in an all-gender cabin, we will reach out to enrolled families individually to explore options. If there is sufficient interest among other sessions and age groups, we may consider adding additional all-gender cabins as well. ALL of our counselors are trained on how to create a safe and welcoming space for campers of all genders in EVERY cabin. If you have a specific question or concern you’d like to discuss about your child’s bunking, please reach out to Shoshie Flagg at [email protected].
All-Gender Adventure Quests
Tawonga offers adventure quests for all genders that take friendship, nature, and Judaism on the road for transformative outdoor adventures. Learn more about adventure quests here.
FAQs & Press on All-Gender Cabins
FAQs
How will you handle privacy and changing clothes in all-gender cabins?
Campers can change clothes in the bathroom, in their sleeping bags, behind a curtain that is installed in the cabins like a fitting room at a clothing store, or in an open area of the bunk, depending on how much privacy they desire. This is a personal choice everyone gets to make for themselves.
What are the bathroom options at camp?
There is a large bathhouse near each section of camper cabins, with separate areas for girls and boys. Campers and staff are welcome to use the area that matches their gender identity. These bathhouses also have several private all-gender bathrooms, each with its own toilet, sink and shower, for anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable using the gendered areas.
Who will be the counselors for all-gender cabins?
We will assign loving Tawonga counselors to the all-gender cabins and provide additional training and resources to them. Counselors will include staff with a range of gender identities. For example, there could be one counselor who identifies as non-binary and one who identifies as male.
Would my child be placed in an all-gender cabin without opting in?
No. All-gender cabins are opt-in only– your child will only be assigned to one if you register for that program specifically. That said, because of our bunking policies and values, your child may still be bunked with children of different gender identities. For example, a girls cabin may include trans girls, non-binary campers, or others along the gender spectrum. In a girls cabin, most campers will identify as girls; in an all-gender cabin, expect a wider range of gender identities.
Will the all-gender cabins take away from the boys and girls cabins’ bunk experience?
Not at all! Creating community within each cabin remains the cornerstone of the Tawonga experience. We know there is a lot of power in girls creating a diverse sisterhood and boys creating a diverse brotherhood within their cabins, and that isn’t going away. We will continue to train counselors that there are many ways to express gender, and all gender expressions will be accepted and celebrated in all cabins.
When did you begin offering all-gender cabins?
We piloted an all-gender cabin in 2019, and it was a fantastic success! During Session 4 in 2019, campers in our all-gender cabin, known as AG-6, bonded together, had an epic Tawonga experience and were supported by two dedicated counselors (a non-binary counselor and a male counselor). The New York Times featured the cabin and Tawonga’s gender inclusion efforts in a spotlight here.
Where can I find more information on gender diversity?
Here is a link to articles, books, and resources.
Press
Check out the press Tawonga received on this program – and don’t miss the full-length feature in The New York Times from August 23, 2019! Our community has been very receptive of our all-gender cabins, and we are grateful for the encouragement and support to be able to center the margins for our camper community.
Interested in Learning More?
If you’d like to learn more about our all-gender cabins, please email [email protected] or call us at 510.401.1965.
