Page 17 | Is Andy Burnham reasonable to say only a small minority of women object to men being in their toilets? YABU he's right, YANBU he's wrong *titled tweaked by MNHQ at OP's request*

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 2026-05-20T08:39:58+00:00

[[https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15830845/Andy-Burnham-men-identify-women-use-female-toilets.html https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15830845/Andy-Burnham-men-identify-women-use-female-toilets.html]] ^'I don't think that's a majority view. I think it's a minority view and quite a small minority view, actually. But it is a view so you can't completely ignore it. Possibly they might be women who have experienced male violence at some point in their life. I don't know, that's one way of looking at it.'^

Neurodiversitydoctor · 20/05/2026 14:07

JulesJules · 20/05/2026 10:09

He can fuck right off. I'm completely out of patience with these misogynist lefty woke bros. I honestly hope the women (and men) of Makersfield do not return him to parliament.

Couldn't agree more can we nomimate post of the week ❤

OpheliaWitchoftheWoods · 20/05/2026 14:07

Thebigarsedbitch · 20/05/2026 14:04

Well, since one in four of us experience male violence in our lives, we are talking about a very large number of women...

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Baffling isn't it? That moment when you think...

he is talking about women who have been abused, who may now be living with injuries, trauma related disabilities with lifetime effects

and speaking about them as though they are broken
useless
stupid
irrelevant

and to be ignored and excluded from society

And then you think - this is Labour.

Worse, this is actually a man who wants to lead the Labour party.

BridgetPhillipsonIsACowardlyJobsworth · 20/05/2026 14:07

cheezncrackers · 20/05/2026 13:18

Since that clip is old, I look forward to him clarifying his position on this.

As do I. I hope he gets a lot of questions about this, and we'll be listening for his answers. Still, actions not words.

Original poster

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 20/05/2026 14:08

OpheliaWitchoftheWoods · 20/05/2026 14:07

Baffling isn't it? That moment when you think...

he is talking about women who have been abused, who may now be living with injuries, trauma related disabilities with lifetime effects

and speaking about them as though they are broken
useless
stupid
irrelevant

and to be ignored and excluded from society

And then you think - this is Labour.

Worse, this is actually a man who wants to lead the Labour party.

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Worse this is actually a man who wants to lead - the country.

OP posts:

ScrollingLeaves · 20/05/2026 14:08

HRTQueen · 20/05/2026 13:26

I think men just do not understand that just have males in female spaces can feel very uncomfortable at times

they don't have to be doing anything inappropriate its jsut them being there

and the reason for this is because we are so often have to deal with men being inappropriate , we are not just talking about the sexual assualts that happen to us its the looks, the glances the invading our personal space that we do not have to deal with when in female only spaces

of course this goes unreported, what are we meant to report if we report I just felt uncomfortable that is not enough and is seen as unkind

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And what I said did happen. It wasn’t a feeling of vulnerability or ‘what if’.

Original poster

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 20/05/2026 14:09

Reddit believes this is a TERF smear campaign against Andy BTW
https://www.reddit.com/r/transgenderUK/comments/1tie95j/the_terf_press_are_coming_for_andy_burnham/

OP posts:

Zimunya · 20/05/2026 14:10

GreyskySexRealistsky · 20/05/2026 13:57

Yes, you're quite right. Women are objecting to men in their toilets solely to cause division.

Edited to add: Yes, your toilets are in the place that you work. So presumably you know the people there, at least by sight. And there are other people around. In the daytime.

A public toilet in a train station at 10 o clock at night with no one else around? Very different scenario.

Edited

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Also, even in toilets where you work, and you know the people in the building, there are times when you would still want a women only space. When you're dealing with leaks and flooding and miscarriage you need a women only space.

Happyjoe · 20/05/2026 14:14

Andy Burnham lost the vote even before the elections. Ah well!

ThatCyanCat · 20/05/2026 14:15

CovenOfCheeses · 20/05/2026 13:54

Why is this still a thing apart from to cause division. I work in a place with mix gendered toilets and it is not a problem. You can use any toilet and lock the door and you can be any gender you like. Why is this a thing?

You know when public toilets were created, they only had men’s convienences which trapped women from travelling. We have more to struggle against that the odd person who identifies as a woman relieving themselves in a public convenience.

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You know when public toilets were created, they only had men’s convienences which trapped women from travelling.

It's honestly insane that you started off by claiming that women's toilets only exist to "cause division" (wtf) but then immediately jump to this, where you totally contradict yourself and become so close to getting it.

It's almost beautiful.

BridgetPhillipsonIsACowardlyJobsworth · 20/05/2026 14:16

Ewox · 20/05/2026 13:39

Wow! Genuinely interesting to see these responses. Yes AB’s words re experiences of violence are clumsy, but personally (and I know amongst my girlfriends) I don’t have any issue with trans women using the same bathroom / changing room. Trans women have often been through a lot to get to where they feel they want to be, and I feel this focus on them (and a few pretenders) distracts from the real day to day issues of male violence towards women.

also - even worst some of my friends (non-feminine women) have been confronted by people as to why they’re in the toilet. This is hurtful and rude. If we remember that trans women are less that 1% of the Uk population and just let people use the toilet they feel most comfortable with then we can all crack on with our lives.

Yes, we've heard all these sorry apologistic clichés a billion times before- it's not 2018 anymore, haven't you heard?

Yet again, just because you're fine with it doesn't mean you get to decide for all women... Andy.

Northermcharn · 20/05/2026 14:18

Zimunya · 20/05/2026 14:10

Also, even in toilets where you work, and you know the people in the building, there are times when you would still want a women only space. When you're dealing with leaks and flooding and miscarriage you need a women only space.

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Yes. And not only that. I want a personal space with no men. Because I want a personal space with no men. I don't need to justify it with anything. Just women and girls only. No men. It really shouldn't be difficult. And it hasn't been difficult until very recently.

Northermcharn · 20/05/2026 14:19

BridgetPhillipsonIsACowardlyJobsworth · 20/05/2026 14:16

Yes, we've heard all these sorry apologistic clichés a billion times before- it's not 2018 anymore, haven't you heard?

Yet again, just because you're fine with it doesn't mean you get to decide for all women... Andy.

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Quite

AtlanticMum · 20/05/2026 14:20

murasaki · 20/05/2026 09:49

Ah, ok. Well I hope the women of Makersfield don't vote for him. Quiite aside from the fact that it seems the whole place is pissed off at being used.

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Quite right too. AB is both ‘entitled’ and incredibly stupid if he thinks he can win this by-election. What was it I read about him the other day that seemed so apt ‘The political talent of a gnat’.

CarbootJunction · 20/05/2026 14:20

I imagine he isn't banking on attracting women voters to his cause.

Ereshkigalangcleg · 20/05/2026 14:20

Ewox · 20/05/2026 13:39

Wow! Genuinely interesting to see these responses. Yes AB’s words re experiences of violence are clumsy, but personally (and I know amongst my girlfriends) I don’t have any issue with trans women using the same bathroom / changing room. Trans women have often been through a lot to get to where they feel they want to be, and I feel this focus on them (and a few pretenders) distracts from the real day to day issues of male violence towards women.

also - even worst some of my friends (non-feminine women) have been confronted by people as to why they’re in the toilet. This is hurtful and rude. If we remember that trans women are less that 1% of the Uk population and just let people use the toilet they feel most comfortable with then we can all crack on with our lives.

Genuinely interesting in what way? It’s what most people think, fringe bubbles aside.

Northermcharn · 20/05/2026 14:22

ThatCyanCat · 20/05/2026 14:15

You know when public toilets were created, they only had men’s convienences which trapped women from travelling.

It's honestly insane that you started off by claiming that women's toilets only exist to "cause division" (wtf) but then immediately jump to this, where you totally contradict yourself and become so close to getting it.

It's almost beautiful.

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Ha ha - yes that's a very good example, if true (I'm sure it is but I haven't checked), to support women only spaces. Hilarious.

'You know when public toilets were created, they only had men’s convienences which trapped women from travelling.'

Ereshkigalangcleg · 20/05/2026 14:23

cheezncrackers · 20/05/2026 13:18

Since that clip is old, I look forward to him clarifying his position on this.

Absolutely. I look forward to all interviewers from now until the election giving him the opportunity to do so.

GreenCandleWax · 20/05/2026 14:23

CarbootJunction · 20/05/2026 14:20

I imagine he isn't banking on attracting women voters to his cause.

Labour have never bothered with women.

BIossomtoes · 20/05/2026 14:26

AtlanticMum · 20/05/2026 14:20

Quite right too. AB is both ‘entitled’ and incredibly stupid if he thinks he can win this by-election. What was it I read about him the other day that seemed so apt ‘The political talent of a gnat’.

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The political talent of a gnat attracted 63.4% of the votes cast in the last Manchester mayoral election. Current polling indicates that he’ll win.

Original poster

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 20/05/2026 14:27

BIossomtoes · 20/05/2026 14:26

The political talent of a gnat attracted 63.4% of the votes cast in the last Manchester mayoral election. Current polling indicates that he’ll win.

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That number might have changed after today

OP posts:

BridgetPhillipsonIsACowardlyJobsworth · 20/05/2026 14:28

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 20/05/2026 14:09

Reddit believes this is a TERF smear campaign against Andy BTW
https://www.reddit.com/r/transgenderUK/comments/1tie95j/the_terf_press_are_coming_for_andy_burnham/

Of course. If it suits their agenda, they'll (pretend to) believe anything.

Much, much better than believing that women have rights, too.

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 20/05/2026 14:30

Ewox · 20/05/2026 13:39

Wow! Genuinely interesting to see these responses. Yes AB’s words re experiences of violence are clumsy, but personally (and I know amongst my girlfriends) I don’t have any issue with trans women using the same bathroom / changing room. Trans women have often been through a lot to get to where they feel they want to be, and I feel this focus on them (and a few pretenders) distracts from the real day to day issues of male violence towards women.

also - even worst some of my friends (non-feminine women) have been confronted by people as to why they’re in the toilet. This is hurtful and rude. If we remember that trans women are less that 1% of the Uk population and just let people use the toilet they feel most comfortable with then we can all crack on with our lives.

I don’t care what any of them have been through. That’s not women’s problem to solve.

They can crack on their lives well away from women’s spaces.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 20/05/2026 14:30

CraftySeal · 20/05/2026 13:20

I think, speaking specifically about toilets, part of it is probably more rooted in a much older time when gender roles were more traditionally delimited and it wasn't considered "proper" for men and women to share the same toilet space?

Now I'm sure there's also part of it that is offering women a sense of protection from being behind closed doors with random men, who could use that private space and proximity to do anything from making inappropriate remarks to being physically/sexually abusive. I guess to me the question is: if unisex toilets became the norm, to what extent would this kind of thing happen more. There's nothing stopping abusive men coming into women's toilets and doing this stuff now, it's not like they're policed. And similarly, this kind of behaviour can and does happen in multiple places other than toilets. Obviously unisex loos would add to the opportunism factor though.

I guess I'm saying that personally, I wouldn't be bothered in theory sharing public toilet spaces with men (and have done in previous workplaces and public places), and by extension trans women, as long as there were no urinals, only cubicles. The question of actual (instead of perceived) safety/rise of opportunistic attacks is a separate thing to me, I'm not advocating that because I'd feel OK with it we should go ahead and enact it into law/culture.

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An example I would give is a 9-14 year old girl who has got herself into any amount of a pickle with her first few periods/pads/trying to use tampons who goes in with either her Mum or a close friend and needs a bit of a hand. That should be a female space end of. Most men would be mortified to be witness to that sort of thing. Similarly a post partum Mum or some one struggling with peri menopause. Women's troubles- womems spaces. How can anyone serioisly have an issue with this ?

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 20/05/2026 14:31

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 20/05/2026 14:27

That number might have changed after today

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Love to see Labour blowing themselves up

Gillydoller · 20/05/2026 14:31

Shelia Fogharty covering this news story on LBC this hour (interspersed with Wes Streetibgs resignation statement). Shelia is a Legend.