To think boys shouldn’t go in to men’s toilets???

[Scotlandma]

This is hypothetical I seen another post about someone not letting their 9 year old use mens public bathrooms

what age do other people let their children go in to toilets on their own?

and how do you navigate them using the disabled toilets if not?? I’d be so worried in case someone actually disabled needed them

They were probably about 10/11 before they would confidently walk to a toilet in a pub, eg nipping upstairs in Whetherspoons without me needing to walk to the actual toilet with them.
Hopefully they were in Scouts. You need a pair of hiking boots, plus a map and a compass to find the toilets in a Wetherspoons.

I think about 10/11
The younger ones went when they were younger but with their older brother.

They are also not committed in public toilets. The VAST majority of sex crimes is done in the "safety" of ones home.

I honestly dont understand this obsession with toilets, as if they are a den of crime!

Also, disabled toilets are PRIORITY for disabled. So if there was a disabled person waiting to use that toilet, theyd go in front.
Otherwise, they are free to use. A disabled person can wait 5 minutes for you to be done using it. Cause they also would if it was another disabled person.

And you can bet everything that when my IBS strikes while Im out and about, I will be looking for the nearest fully enclosed disabled toilet or a single toilet, if they exist (a shopping centre near me has some single toilets with baby changing spaces)

I suppose around that age, maybe a bit younger. I'd stick close by to the men's though outside in case anything happens.

No to using disabled lavatories unless your DS is disabled.

And by 9 years old, no to a boy in the women’s lavatories. What about young girls on their own - they do not want to share intimate spaces with boys of their own age.

Teach your sons about personal safety. Girls are bombarded with safety messages from a very young age. Why should boys have the privilege of not having to think about this?

It really pisses me off when people ignore the profound differences in this sort of situation.

It's not smirkingly clever of you to point this out. It's actually the complete opposite.

Agree. It's ridiculous. Mumsnet is si weird about toilets. All I care about is its clean

What about a 5 year old female child with a disabled transmum? Heads will explode!

I think you'll find most will say you can't used a disabled unless you're disabled even if it's free incase someone disabled comes and needs to use it in a hurry and it's occupied

What if someone who is disabled needs to use the toilet in a hurry and it is occupied... by another disabled person? They still have to wait.

Thankfully my kids are adults now but just the smell of men's toilets would be enough for me to opt for the ladies loos 🤢

Ha ha i can confirm as a 43 year old women I have never found a reason to be standing topless in a public toilet. Ever.

Quite a few shops and service stations do.

Not wanting to incite a riot here and not advocating this idea but

This has been all over the news, demonstrations etc in another form. It’s all about this idea that
Anyone can use any toilet ( changing spaces etc ) ‘that they feel more comfortable in.’

Yep….that one again.
So that means that if a male child feels more comfortable in a woman's toilet they can use it… or if a child feels more comfortable in a disabled toilet they can use it…or an adult feels more comfortable in a disabled toilet they can use it.

Existing spaces do not have to separate the sexes, luckily new builds must provide for all with hopefully more disabled toilets aswell.

I believe Bluewater has family rooms. There’s prayer rooms too and breastfeeding rooms.

Are disabled toilets not just adapted toilets aka more suitable to support the needs of disabled people. Rather than 'exclusively for' disabled people.
Genuine question.

There is no law against using a disabled toilet if you are not disabled, unlike disabled parking for example

Quite right. They is no law against anyone using them.

I do my very best to not even stand around topless in a gym/pool changing room! It actually makes me really uncomfortable to have people just walking around naked. Just because we have the same parts, it doesnt mean I want to see yours or want you to see mine!

But I digress!

I find myself in a tricky situation now that DS is 13. He's autistic and still in nappies so he thankfully wouldn't need to use the toilet on his own, and we could use the disabled toilet for him if he needs a change.

However, if I'm out on my own with him and need the toilet, I have to use the disabled toilet and take him in with me. So no option for me to use the toilet in private. I couldn't leave him standing outside in the corridor etc as that wouldn't be safe. If I could still take him into the ladies, it would be OK as he could stand right outside the cubicle and he'd still be in the relative safety of the bathroom and not out in "public" on his own.

It's no one's fault, but I obviously can't take him in the women's toilets now. It's a bit of a bastard of a situation.

Not the same

@SlippySarah wow, someone got out of bed on the wrong side today 😬

Having recently nearly tripped over a boy of about 8 to 10 laying on the floor outside the cubicle I was using when I came out, spying under the door while I was using the loo. I'd say he should NOT have been in there waiting for his mum. Boys that age are beginning to become curious and I'm more entitled to wee in peace as is any young girl who could be in there than boys are to be having a gander at some girly bits.

Well, for one men have their genitalia out while using the urinals, unlike the ladies toilet where it's all enclosed. I can imagine a lot of blokes would feel uncomfortable with a woman walking in and seeing their dick.

😂