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Original poster

Unisex toilets in Secondary School

88 replies

WC · 01/04/2012 13:38

DDs secondary school (Holland Park, in west London) is currently being rebuilt and the new building is nearly ready. I have just read in a newsletter that instead of separate girls and boys toilets there are going to be unisex toilets for all. My initial thought was that it was really weird and DD doesn't like it. I was just wondering if this was usual in new builds these days and if others have experience of schools doing this.

OP posts:
Nyac · 01/04/2012 14:49

The children won't say. They'll just put up with it.

Do staff supervise the toilets Pottering. What's your school's policy on sexual harassment and sexual assault?

PotteringAlong · 01/04/2012 14:47

The school I work in was rebuilt under BSF and we have unisex toilets. It's very common in new builds.

As staff we were unsure but the pupils are fine - they say they're used to unisex toilets for things like swimming etc and saw it as no different.

noblegiraffe · 01/04/2012 14:43

It depends on the toilets. If it's Ally McBeal sort of unisex toilets, like normal toilets but all allowed, then that's bad.

On the other hand if the toilets are individual cubicles complete with their own sink and hand dryer off a main corridor, with no area to congregate, then that's fine.

Nyac · 01/04/2012 14:41

Given the number of times I was sexually assaulted (groped) at secondary school, and given the fact that schools do not take sexual assault or sexual harassment and bullying seriously, this is an extremely bad idea.

1950sHousewife · 01/04/2012 14:40

I have a horrible feeling this will lead to a great deal of constipated children. It was bad enough having to go in our unisex toilets. Imagine if the guy you fancied was right outside the door and you'd done a number two.
Blush x 100000

CakeMixture · 01/04/2012 14:36

I would not want to send my dc to a school with unisex toilets.

It sounds like an experiment to me.

thisisyesterday · 01/04/2012 14:30

why would it matter if a girl has her period??? no-one will know..

thisisyesterday · 01/04/2012 14:29

well i think it's a great idea and ALL toilets should be unisex.

just cubicles though, not urinals.

if they're all going into separate cubicles I really can't see what the issue is tbh.

Colleger · 01/04/2012 14:28

Having just come home from France where there are many unisex loos I never want to see a man pee in a urinal ever again!

There could be issues of sexual bullying in unisex loos. I think it's a terrible idea.

Original poster
WC · 01/04/2012 13:56

There is quite a high proportion of muslim kids at the school; I can't imagine why muslim parents would have specific objections though. DDs main objection was "girls have periods; and boys stink", which is fair enough :o DD says the girls toilets are normally crowded with girls putting on make-up in the morning - so maybe they want to reduce that! There was a case of sexual assault at a school in the area a few years back where a girl was forced to give blow jobs in the boys toilet, so it could be that they are mindful of that as well as bullying.

OP posts:
1950sHousewife · 01/04/2012 13:54

That is one of the worst things I can imagine for a teenager.

Imagine if you're that teen boy having a poo and having girls giggling outside the cubicle. Imagine if you're that teen girl trying to change a tampon and trying desperately to not let the rip of the paper be audible to the group of lads outside. And thinking of 'The Inbetweeners' - with the pooing photo...

It's just wrong and if it's being done to reduce bullying I just can't see how it will do that.
I personally can't stand restaurants where the loos are unisex. Gak.

Hassled · 01/04/2012 13:51

I think quite a lot of the pupils might feel uncomfortable with this. It doesn't sit well with me and I don't really know why. The thought of some poor 12 year old dealing with her period with a lad in her class in the next cubicle - I'd have found it hideous at that age.

workshy · 01/04/2012 13:45

I actually think this is a really good idea

how much bullying actually goes on in school toilets? put the opposite sex in there and it's got to reduce it

as long as there are plenty of cubicles and no urinals (which stink!) then I wouldn't have a problem with it

I can imagine if there are any muslim girls at the school though then their families would probably have issue with it (before I get flamed I base that statement on the fact that our local grammar is mixed sex and there are several families who send their increddibly bright girls to the high school because it is single sex, rather than give them a grammar school education)