Gender-specific toilets to be required in non-residential buildings in England

8 comments

1. So I’ve just looked up what the government says in their [press release](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-lay-new-law-to-halt-the-march-of-gender-neutral-toilets-in-buildings).

   “Changes to building regulations will mean that new non-domestic buildings, including restaurants, shopping centres, offices and public toilets will be required to provide separate single-sex toilets for women and men.  Self-contained, universal toilets may be provided in addition, where space allows, or instead of single-sex toilets where there isn’t enough space. “

   So they will allow universal toilets, but only if there isn’t space for single sex toilets. And what they are really ruling out is converting ones where you have cubicles but then shared sinks.

   “81% agreed with the intention for separate single-sex toilet facilities and 82% agreed with the intention to provide universal toilets where space allows”

   So this seems like people are quite happy with universal toilets but they haven’t provided any data on how many agree with gender neutral toilets or how the question was asked (which could be key here). Kemi of course is well known for converting universal toilets into single sex ones during her campaign efforts so clearly has specific views here and it is unclear from what they have said how much this is backed by evidence (evidence supporting one thing does not show there isn’t also support for alternatives).

   Notably though, Kemi says that girls are more likely to get UTIs when there’s no single sex space (no link to evidence provided), but one of the places on the exemption list is schools. So what problem is she trying to solve if this is an exemption? Or is this all just smoke and mirrors as one might expect?

2. Shouldn’t the title be sex-specific toilets?

   >single-sex toilet facilities

   Many people define gender as some kind of social construct, so shouldn’t really be used interchangeably with sex. Shouldn’t the Guardian know better?

   >Understanding gender diversity: sex and gender are not the same thing

   >[Understanding gender diversity: sex and gender are not the same thing | Freddy McConnell | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2014/feb/07/mind-your-language-transgender)

3. More culture war nonsense.
   Shared bathrooms have always been a thing and anyone scared of them is a moron.

4. What a monumentally stupid move. Let’s overregulate and drive up costs to score political football points.

   I’m by no means an advocate for trans rights to bathroom space, but FFS we don’t need more requirements on small business, this is just going to further raise the barriers to entry for anyone wanting to start a small business

5. The whole article /policy seems to mix sex and gender in a way that’s going to confuse the issue.

6. I can see this forming part of Rishis next election bid.

   “And who was it who made rules about toilets in public places, who was it that ensured Pamela and Paul could poop in peace?!”

   Checkmate Keir.

7. All I know is I wouldn’t want to share a toilet space with me, when I gotta go, that’s for sure! 😝

8. Right, so all this means is now trans people will use the gendered toilet they feel most comfortable in. Taking away options really solves the problem the TERFs have here…