Gender Neutral Toilets

This weekend, the papers were full of the debate on gender neutral toilets.

The Sunak government argues that communal cubicles and hand-washing facilities have led to “dignity and privacy concerns” among women who feel “unfairly disadvantaged”.

Pledging to halt the increasing use of gender-neutral facilities, the government is changing regulations to specify that all new non-residential buildings must offer separate single-sex toilets for women and men.

Trans Rights groups have argued that gender-neutral toilets can help to combat discrimination, since trans people can face difficulties using male or female toilets.

The solution in most cases should be straightforward. Directly accessible unisex toilets which offer safe space to women, men and transgender individuals. These are preferably accessed direct from street level, whether pavement, carpark or shopping precinct, but can also be inside with carefully considered access and site lines. Unisex toilets should never be hidden from view around a corner.