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AIBU?

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Trans toilets

111 replies

SharkBaitOooHaha · 04/07/2025 10:51

I was under the impression that the supreme court ruling stating that to be considered a woman you had to have been born a biological woman, meaning…
Shop changing rooms had to be female/male same with toilets and all women only spaces.
I I live in a small village and trans people using my workplace’s toilets and changing rooms doesn’t really come up as an issue. Talking to my boss about this and he said he has had no instruction to change our current unisex toilet space or if it arises our changing rooms having to follow the new rule of.. If you’re a trans woman you need to go into the men’s changing rooms.
My question is, who is supposed to be making sure these rules are followed, how long have companies got to change their toilet facilities? Has anybody else who works in a job with fitting rooms noticed that there company doesn’t seem in a rush to change things? Until I brought this up at work my manager wasn’t even aware of the court ruling?

OP posts:
SundayFundayz · 04/07/2025 11:11

TimeFliesin2046 · 04/07/2025 11:03

Yes, but they shouldn't be. It was made quite clear if toilets are labelled as being for women, then only biological women can use them.

And the full guidance should have been ready at the time of the decision rather than leaving businesses in a strange limbo of not knowing who’s responsibility it is to enforce it and what exemptions there may be. The questions the OP asked about timescales etc have not been answered yet so whereas for some places it was easy to make a change (eg define a toilet as unisex) some others need more information.

I’m not a small business owner but if I was I’d be waiting for the full information before making a judgement call on what I’m telling my employees they do / do not need to enforce.

TimeFliesin2046 · 04/07/2025 11:11

YellowGrey · 04/07/2025 11:07

I think after the ruling it's still ok to have a unisex toilet. The ruling is about trans people using single sex spaces. But that doesn't mean you can't have a unisex space if it's labelled as such.

Yes, you can have a unisex toilet, and that's fine. It's just if they are designated as single-sex toilets, then they have to be just that.

Millers5star · 04/07/2025 11:10

SundayFundayz · 04/07/2025 10:57

Most businesses are waiting for the full EHRC updated code of practice before updating their own policies

Which they absolutely should not be doing.
The law just clarifies that where a business or facility offers "ladies" toilets, they must be for biological females only. It is still perfectly legal to provide unisex toilets - they just have to be labelled as such so that everyone knows they are mixed. If biological males are allowed into toilets/changing rooms etc, they cannot be labelled or referred to as "single sex". This video is very helpful

YellowGrey · 04/07/2025 11:07

I think after the ruling it's still ok to have a unisex toilet. The ruling is about trans people using single sex spaces. But that doesn't mean you can't have a unisex space if it's labelled as such.

JifNtGif · 04/07/2025 11:07

So there are currently unisex toilets/ changing rooms ? Then there doesn't need to be any change OP! You've completely misunderstood the implications of the ruling.

selkieselkie · 04/07/2025 11:05

Nothing about the ruling means unisex toilets are no longer allowed. You have misunderstood.

yetanotherusernameAgain · 04/07/2025 11:04

Are these toilets and changing rooms for use by the public or staff? Is the unisex toilet the only toilet?

Kreepture · 04/07/2025 11:03

if they're designated as 'unisex' the ruling doesn't apply.

TimeFliesin2046 · 04/07/2025 11:03

SundayFundayz · 04/07/2025 10:57

Most businesses are waiting for the full EHRC updated code of practice before updating their own policies

Yes, but they shouldn't be. It was made quite clear if toilets are labelled as being for women, then only biological women can use them.

Whitehorses67 · 04/07/2025 11:00

I read the thread title and pictured a toilet which insists it is a bidet.

SundayFundayz · 04/07/2025 10:57

Most businesses are waiting for the full EHRC updated code of practice before updating their own policies