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Original poster

Inclusive Disabled toilets

32 replies

RiverLen · 21/08/2023 20:42

At a petrol service station on Saturday, saw my first Inclusive Toilet with a sign like the one below.

As it’s ‘Inclusive’, does it means that anyone can use it. From a slightly tongue-in-cheek angle, does this mean I can skip the long coach party queue queuing for the ladies toilets, and now use the disable loo? Isn’t this not good for any disabled person wanting to use the toilet if anyone can now use it?

I appreciate that companies are trying to ‘solve’ the trans issue of a third space, and can’t magic up a new toilet in an existing building, so using the disabled toilet to double up seems a rational solution. However, is this at a loss for the disabled communuty?

Inclusive Disabled toilets
OP posts:
nationallampoons · 21/08/2023 21:34

We have them in the service station I work. They mean that they can use them if they are uncomfortable using the general toilets

JanesLittleGirl · 21/08/2023 21:33

RiverLen · 21/08/2023 21:32

“men, women or anybody who does gender.”

ie everyone?

That would be my interpretation.

Original poster
RiverLen · 21/08/2023 21:32

“men, women or anybody who does gender.”

ie everyone?

OP posts:
AlwaysFoldingWashing · 21/08/2023 21:29

@NitroNine I think you have captured this beautifully. I do not have a disability myself but think this is a kick in the teeth for people with disabilities who often have a fight to even get access to appropriate bathrooms in the first place

JanesLittleGirl · 21/08/2023 21:26

I'm going to be generous here and suggest that it means that the toilet is a disabled toilet that is available for men, women or anybody who does gender.

NitroNine · 21/08/2023 21:22

Yes, it’s absolutely screwing over the disabled community who had to campaign for disabled toilets - which are already used by people who fancy some extra space/want to change their clothes; or businesses put the only baby change in there so it’s (through no fault of the parents!) a battle with the prams. It’s never at the right height for wheelchair users to change their babies, obviously, that’s not why it’s there; & I obviously don’t mean a set-up like a Changing Places toilet; just the regular baby change being in the disabled loo when it’s not a case of there being only the one loo for everyone.

Lots of people who need to use the disabled loo require more time in there than an abled person takes. Whether that’s transferring in & out of wheelchair; dealing with a catheter (whether ISC, using a flip-flo, or emptying a bag); emptying an ostomy bag; needing more time on the loo due to any number of health conditions; having to change incontinence products & clean up (showering, if one’s available); needing to rinse soiled items & change clothes… or anything else. Not everyone who needs to use the disabled loo needs to do any/all of those things any/all of the time; but they’re not dramatic outlier examples either.

Casually opening a hard-won space up to everyone who fancies using it is just shitting all over disabled people. A group whose human rights actually ARE breached on the regular by our government; & who do not enjoy enormous corporate support for Disability Pride Month. Nor do we see the Disability Pride flag flown from government buildings etc.

One might almost think that some protected characteristics are more protected than others.

Changing Places Toilets

https://www.changing-places.org/

happydappy2 · 21/08/2023 21:15

It is a huge loss to disabled people who may need quick access to a toilet facility. Mens feelz should not over ride people physical disabilities.