Primary school toilets look like this

[SwordToFlamethrower]

My daughter is 9. God forbid she is one of the girls who start their period young. Not sure how girls age 9 to 11 at primary school are meant to manage their first ever periods with no privacy or dignity when they have to wash their blood soaked hands. The toilet area is open plan too, so anyone walking by can see right in. I took these photos on my way to a "meet the teacher" meeting today. I don't know if the school have checked the law on single sex toilets when they implemented this. I don't even know where to begin. I've been asked to leave it because it's not worth having a row with the school, seeing as they're underfunded as it is. AIBU to say "tough!" What should I do?

I realise MNetters can change a billion moon cups wearing a white jump suit but it's very obvious young children many of which probably still wear their lunch would probabky get a bit messy when starting their periods at school or changing themselves. Awful set up. Poor kids

I’m struggling to understand the problem here? They look like any communal loos you find in shopping centres, restaurants, offices etc?

Many secondary schools have similar toilets now too. It is much better for reducing bullying, stopping smoking in there etc. I think you are being a little ridiculous.

I think you might be doing menstruation wrong . The cubicles are enclosed and private enough I reckon. In fact possibly superior to most toilets in that there can be no silliness over or under the doors.

Most girls that age would wear a sanitary towel. I don't understand how they'd manage to get blood soaked hands from changing it. Perhaps a tiny bit of blood, which they could easily wipe with a bit of loo roll before heading to the sink.

YWBU to take photos of a primary school toilet.

The reason school looks are often built open plan btw is to stop a) vandalism and b) bullying. Much harder to leave taps running or hold someone's face in the sink if a passing teacher can see you.

There are some really fortunate women here because my periods are extremely heavy (endometriosis and adenomyosis) and during a period it is not possible for me to wipe without getting blood on my hands. And not just a bit of blood either. I cannot imagine how mortifying this would be in a primary school.

“Blood soaked hands”? Just checked with my DD and we both agree that we’ve never had blood soaked hands! How ridiculous!

argh school loos not looks!

Anyone get the feeeling the OP won’t be back?

Worra, I wear sanitary towels. The blood comes from wiping. The blood gets everywhere. I have to clean the toilet seat every time I use the loo during my period. Just because you personally don’t experience it, doesn’t mean that others don’t.

Exactly the same set up as in dcs’ primary. Girls who think they need more privacy are allowed to use the teachers’ toilets,

Anyone who read the mammoth thread about period symptoms would know that quite a lot of women have this issue - it came up multiple times

Agree with rather dramatic phrasing & I can’t see an issue with those toilets at all, they look fine.

They look like nice toolets

Bet the OP is watching another re run of Carrie to confirm her blood soaked hands comment

*toilets

The stereotyping really is insidious, pink for girls and blue for boys FFS! For those that are ignoring the issue to pick apart the OP for a slightly alarmist comment I would suggest having a read of the parliamentary report on sexual attacks in schools. Key figure for you, 600 rapes recorded over 3 years. Now have a think, do you think the OP is being unreasonable to feel uneasy regarding the shared toilets? Screen shot for those that won't take the time to read through the sobering report. www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/women-and-equalities-committee/news-parliament-2015/sexual-harassment-and-violence-in-schools-report-published-16-17/

Tammy I'm quite sure if a child's periods were anything like that heavy, their parents would make sure they popped a little pack of hand wipes in with the sanitary pads.

Hang on, so the boys and girls are in together? No, I don't agree with unisex toilets, don't see the need for them, keep them single sex. However, you are being OTT and dramatic with 'blood soaked hands'.

Even if you got blood on your hands it wouldn’t be dried on would it? So you could clean yourself up well enough with tissue. Your hands would still need a wash but you wouldn’t be heading to the sink embarrasses by your ‘blood soaked hands’.

What makes you quite sure of that? I was certainly never packed off to school with some wet wipes!

Exactly the same set up as in dcs’ primary. Girls who think they need more privacy are allowed to use the teachers’ toilets so they basically have to tell the teachers they are on their periods to get the privacy they should have had in the first place?

And also pink for girls and blue for boys? Fuck that!