Unisex Primary Toilets

I am frequently terrified by the lack of understanding people have of others lives, just use the disabled toilet, I wonder if there is a correlation between dismissal of the rights of girls and dismissal of the rights of those with disabilities.

OverTheRainbow88, if telling children - and adults - not to worry and just to get over their fears and anxieties worked, we wouldn't need as many psychiatrists and mental health services generally, would we?

Why would you assume that OP hadn't already tried talking her DD out of her concerns - and failed?

You don't agree that women and children are allowed boundaries?

On a feminist board? How very something of you.

Tell her not to worry and get on with it is all very well. My dd was followed into the loo in reception Year by a little boy in her class who touched her bottom. She’s still (now year 2) very nervous to use the cubicles at school (they’re stalls not separate rooms), and has had multiple urine infections as a result of trying to hold her wee too much. We’ve tried to help her get past what happened - it wasn’t any more sinister than a little kid being nosy I think - but she feels how she feels.

I bloody love this post and the poster. xx

That should be

Oops sorry, @ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings I didn't mean you, I meant the poster who said that ridiculous nonsense about our toilets at home. The quote function is a little confusing at times! [embarrassed]

And why is it so problematic that parents expect their children to be allowed boundries. Why dismiss what we know is a real issue, so much so charities fundraise to provide single sex toilets in other countries so girls can attend school.

Its disturbing how so many people dont think its a big deal girls can't say no to boys and men in their spaces

Who does it benefit.?
Really?

Being common doesn't mean its no big deal or kids need to "get over it"

Mixed sex spaces are more dangerous for women and girls .

Girls miss hundreds of hours if education a year due to fears over period shaming and period poverty.

We have mixed sex toilets at secondary school, it’s being more and more common, I would tell her not to worry and get on with it. It’s not a big deal

Well said!

Definitely speak to the teacher. The school shouldn’t be making changes that make children uncomfortable. Unfortunately 8 is the age that separate sex toilets are legally required.

plus any girls who started their periods could use the disabled toilet that had a washbasin in the cubicle for privacy

And where do the disabled kids go then? Why aren't the junior toilets set up for girls properly? If there's only one toilet fir the disabled children and that's taken by girls dealing with periods then they are deprived of the one toilet they can use.

Infants schools often have unisex loos. Both my kids schools did. No issues at all. Juniors did have separate male and female, plus any girls who started their periods could use the disabled toilet that had a washbasin in the cubicle for privacy.

The architect didn't read the guidance properly. Dh has designed schools; the guidance is v clear.

Can't speak for anyone else's loo, but mine meets the legal requirements for a unisex one - it's a self enclosed room with floor to ceiling walls, contains sink and sanitary waste receptacle, designed for one occupant at a time.

Unless your bathroom at home contains multiple toilets, separated by inadequate strips of plasterboard, that you and your spouse and all your male guests use at the same time, it's really not comparable to the situation in single-sex public facilities.

My school switched to unisex toilets during covid and it was shared with parents in the school's published risk assessment.
Reason being - separate toilets to maintain the integrity of the bubbles. They don't have enough gendered toilets to accommodate each bubble, so had to unisex the ones in years 1-4, and they are supervised by teaching assistants as well.

But this was all info shared in the risk assessment and wider communications around covid adaptations with parents.

Ask the school.

God the "doN'T YoU HavE UNiseX ToiLeTs aT HOme?" thing is such a weak take. It's obvious what the difference between a private single home toilet and a shared public toilet block is, and what the difference between the few males you've chosen to live with and multiple male strangers is, so either put your money where your mouth is and open your home toilet up to public use, or fuck off and stop being so disingenuous. Honestly, how people can be so intellectually dishonest is beyond me. Aren't you embarrassed? Because I'm embarrassed for you.

Definitely question it. In the short term could the teacher give girls and Boys time slots? I.e. Girls start of break boys end of break.

These things can really matter to kids. We’re putting some really grown up philosophies on them.

" What is the big deal....'"

As a teacher I would have thought Georgia would have been only too aware of the " nonsense" that goes on in school toilets.

It would be actively dangerous for small children to have cubicles without gaps at the top and bottom of the door (indeed ideally an adult would be able to look over the top) They are not mini adults. Hand washing needs to be communal so that they can be helped. It is perfectly fine for toilets in reception and nursery to be unisex, possibly preferable. As they get older it is sensible to have separate so that children get used to the distinction but they might still need to be relatively open as these children may need help/supervision. By the age of 8 (at the latest) the norms of single sex loos should kick in.