The toilet has gone on display at the Watershed in Bristol

Libby Laredo and Shannon Brown Reporter

14:35, 02 Jul 2025

The 'Trans Loo' at the Watershed, BristolThe ‘Trans Loo’ at the Watershed, Bristol(Image: Martin Booth© SWNS)

A Bristol cinema has proudly introduced a ‘Trans Loo’, as a vibrant act of defiance following the recent Supreme Court decision on transgender rights in the UK.

The eye-catching lavatory is now a feature at the Watershed, symbolising resistance and making a bold statement.

Originally placed outside the court in London, the Trans Loo found its way to the Watershed bar after the May ruling that essentially barred trans women from using female restrooms and trans men from male restrooms.

Watershed’s CEO Clare Reddington said: “At Watershed, inclusion isn’t an add-on; it’s built into the walls, the programming and – yes – even the toilets.

“We’re proud to have created some of Bristol’s most welcoming public loos, and hosting the Trans Loo is a celebration and an ongoing commitment to access, safety and solidarity.

“Toilets are about more than function; they represent who feels safe, welcome and seen in public space.

“We’re proud to host the Trans Loo during this year’s Queer Vision and Pride season, and to stand up for dignity, inclusion and the right to exist without fear.”

Jane Fae, a director of TransActual which commissioned the loo, said: “The Trans Loo is both symbol and statement of defiance.

“After the Supreme Court ruling was announced, we quickly heard from Baroness Falkner, head of the UK’s human rights organisation, who many view as anti-trans, offering her perspective to the UK trans community.

“First, she seemed to believe the ruling gave organisations carte blanche to begin toilet segregation.

“And second, in the face of such discrimination, she declared that trans organisations should use their ‘powers of advocacy’ to create trans-friendly facilities.

“We took her up on the second and the Trans Loo is the result of that. Since then, as additional legal opinion suggests she was wrong to argue that organisations could now exclude trans people from using certain loos, the EHRC has rowed back on that view with a ‘clarification’.

“So, loos are no longer an issue. Sadly, no. Because a number of organisations have jumped the gun – potentially opening themselves up to legal action – by imposing restrictions on trans people.

“There is still a long way to go. But for now, it appears that the Trans Loo is emblematic both of trans exclusion and the eagerness of some organisations to bend over backwards and break the law rather than talk honestly with trans people.”