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Original poster

Mixed-sex toilets in schools - children's actual views?

132 replies

Oldstyle · 12/02/2019 19:19

Do we know what kids actually think about this? Planners & policy-makers seem to feel it's not a problem, and that it lessens bullying (no idea how) although it is currently illegal in Wales for children over 8 years old apparently.
Lleisiau Merched Cymru/Women's Voices Wales are asking for feedback from girls (or boys) who have mixed-sex toilets in their schools. Ideally from Wales but also from other parts of the UK. So is there any real-life evidence either way?

OP posts:
Ineedacupofteadesperately · 12/02/2019 20:12

Dd1 hated the mixed sex toilets up to age 8 in her school, she used to avoid and come home bursting.

Greensleeves · 12/02/2019 20:03

DS2 (14) says "I wouldn't have a problem with it personally, but I imagine the girls would - I don't see that the girls have done anything to deserve sharing toilets with the boys"

Comefromaway · 12/02/2019 20:00

Ds hates the idea too. He thinks both he and the girls need their privacy and he wouldn’t be comfortable going to the toilet with a load of giggling girls around.

donajimena · 12/02/2019 20:00

Sorry to derail but from a personal experience today I went to my sons school and passed the mixed toilets. I can confirm that they stunk to high heaven.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 12/02/2019 19:58

DD thinks the boys toilets stink and she's right.

Had to deal with mixed sex toilets recently and the amount of piss (I'm assuming from badly trained small boys) all over the seats was minging.

Beamur · 12/02/2019 19:58

Just asked DD age 11. Not at all keen.
Her words 'I just wouldn't go to the toilet at school'.
Can we ask schools to monitor the rise of UTI's as girls boycott the toilets and probably stop drinking enough water during the day?

ClaraMatilda · 12/02/2019 19:30

There was that BBC documentary No More Boys and Girls which was meant to be about getting rid of sex role stereotyping in a primary school class.

As I remember, the children were happy with all the changes except the mixed-sex toilets, which both the boys and girls disliked - I think there were a few children saying on-camera that they didn't want to use them.

A nice illustration of how making everything mixed-sex isn't a good way to combat the harmful stereotyping.