Thousands of non-elite women at the Great North Run got neither privacy nor fair competition

Have read the instructions you linked and I just have more questions.

Were the men's urinals also open air?

How is this different to squatting over a normal toilet? Unlike a man a woman still has to remove clothing, so this just seems like a toilet but with less privacy and plumbing.

Are drones prevented from entering the area?

Is there toilet paper?

They have bags to dispose of tampons and pads but where do you wash your hands?

I understand that it's (possibly) better than trying to find a tree to squat behind, but it just seems to emphasise that women need different provision and whatever this is is not the equivalent of either a urinal or an adequate toilet.

I ran it.

I was pretty enraged that the pre run literature described the urinals as being for men but the peequal for women, trans women, people assigned female at birth and non binary people. I knew I would wild wee anyway but the fact the provision was being described as equalising the toileting situation while allowing anyone into one that was nominally for women and describing the other as exclusively for men was an absolute joke.

I imagine with the mass entry is there’s no real way to stop men identifying into the wrong category. And, despite it being technically against the rules, people do sell on their numbers so you often get men running in the female category (and I imagine vis versa), people running out of age category, people who’ve identified themselves into the green ‘fast’ category who then proceed to create congestion by strolling/plodding the entire route.

it would be nice to fix it. I imagine starting with an option to transfer your number would help. We all know it happens. They haven’t got a way to police it. So the most simple solution would be to facilitate it to get people into the right category. You can already change your T-shirt size and defer your place for medical reasons so changes can be made until fairly close to the run date.

It involves the discrimination of women, so it is a feminist issue, it being posted on a feminist thread makes all the sense in the world, to those of us who are sensible.
Those who aren't, well there's no accounting for them.
Hands up who knew that fitness is white supremacy, all you omnicause runners are racist, racist, racist. 😱

Ummm… youre on a feminist forum so I would presume you want something to do with feminist s. Otherwise, why are you here? That Would be like me going on to Reddit or Bluesky and telling people complaining about things they think are offensive or transphobic that they’re “just whinging” wouldn’t it? I’d never dream of doing that because I’m not a rude arsehole however stupid and petty I think they’re posts are. .

I did the GNR at the weekend and didn’t spot these urinals. I queued for a wee in a church, then had a final wee in the bush alongside many other competitors both men and women. Tbf the start of a massive race isn’t really the time for dignity or privacy for most and for those who need it there were the usual number of portaloos.

I strongly object to men running in the women’s category though. I think that’s outrageous.

Screened female urinals are a great idea.

Self-id in the women's mass start? Not acceptable.

Having looked at the website, it does seem like peequal are trying to solve problems for women at outdoor events like runs and festivals, perhaps this article has missed the mark a bit on that.

But the men in women’s race issue is the bigger news. How can it be acknowledged for the elite runners that it’s unfair to pit men against women, then act like for regular grassroots athletes, it doesn’t matter? Somehow it’s fair if you’re the 35th fastest, or the 335th? How does that work?

The loo thing is not a feminist issue. Every race, everyone is "forced to queue for a portaloo". Organisers try to alleviate this by providing urinals. At this race, it seems they have tried to come up with an equivalent solution for women. I'd be interested to see if it works.

As for allowing transwomen to compete as women, I can see the issue there. (Personally I am so slow that coming 400th or 421st doesn't bother me much, if its a "fun run". But I can see it would be angry-making for others.)

"This is a feminist forum, where it is assumed women will listen to other women. "

Well apparently you don't because you responded to someone sharing their " lived experience " by telling them to get a grip!

‘hoked in the ground with no doors, no privacy’ is misleading and sensationalist. By looking at the Peequalnwebsi, you can see what it looks like and joe ot works:https://www.peequal.com/how-it-works/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Have You ever taken part in a big race? It doesn’t matter how many loos the organizers providec there are never enough. One of the reasons is because most people need to wee about 3 times due to nerves before a race starts. I think tbr Perqual is probably at attempt by the race organizer to alleviate the queening problems for those who are happy to user that instead of going to a filthy smelly portaloo (they normally have wee all over the floor and very rarely have loo paper or soap - most runners know this and bring their own).

OP, what you have posted is misleading and a total non-issue.

I ran in the GNR. Those women’s urinals are brilliant, I’ve used them at festivals too. They aren’t “holes in the ground” and they do have a type of door (but you’re squatting so can’t see anyone anyway). They are much cleaner, more hygienic and quicker for a wee than going in a portaloo, and don’t smell because they’re in the open (and only for wees). Free organic tampons and sanitary towels were provided. You can’t see into them because they are private.

Men were also “forced” to use urinals unless they wanted to queue for a portaloo. There were plenty of portaloos that anyone could use if they wanted more privacy, or a poo.