Another toilet one

[VaccineSticker]

We stopped yesterday at a KFC with the kids on our way home from a very long drive. It was our first time there.
The place looks newly built and the toilet facility were somehow shared.
The sinks area is shared (there were 4) whilst the cubicles’ doors had silhouettes of men or women on them. 2 each. The 2 male ones were occupied so a man was waiting outside in the sinks shared area while I waited for my child to go to toilet as she’s scared to lock the door (door is closed not locked- I’m standing outside to give her privacy). The guy is very polite etc but I can’t help feel the whole set up is an invasion of privacy and the safe space for women and girls rightfully should get.

Men in the toilets also makes me feel very uncomfortable.

That doesn't sound as if it meets regulations. Unisex facilities need to have the sinks in the fully- enclosed cubicles.

I wouldn't use them.

Yes I know - easier said than done, but I'd want to eat and pee somewhere else!

I've been to many places with this set up over the years.

It's worth emailing them to tell them about your experience and how uncomfortable it was. It's the only way to change things. The EHRC guidelines currently state: 'It is not compulsory for services that are open to the public to be provided on a single-sex basis or to have single-sex facilities such as toilets. These can be single-sex if it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim and they meet other conditions in the Act. However, it could be indirect sex discrimination against women if the only provision is mixed-sex.' I wrote to The Baltic in Newcastle complaining that their gender neutral toilets were uncomfortable because they had cubicles and shared sinks (and were very small) I haven't been back to find out if they've taken those comments on board but the more we complain the more likely it is that they'll do something.

That happened to me at the Ladies' toilet at a service station in the Midlands at Christmas time . It was a small service station annd this guy got in to the cubicle beside me and was chatting on his phone. Very obviously male by the voice . He was not obviously trans identifying (saw him when I came out to wash my hands ) but just yer truck driver type but I was like " what the fuck?" . Gave me a dirty look and he didn't wash his hands.

I think they pretty much had this set up in the toilets at The Lucky Cat in Mayfair. There was a row of cubicles with alternating male and female silhouettes on each door. The basins were opposite. It was so dark in there I didn’t actually notice the silhouettes so just walked into the first cubicle I came to and wondered why the seat was up! It was weird but I didn’t feel unsafe as there was a toilet attendant in there. I wouldn’t have liked it otherwise.

I’ve been mixed ones with cubicle and had to queue with men. I felt extremely uncomfortable it to be fair, so did the men - and not just because they’re not used to queueing!

Maybe we should have a website where we could name and shame places that have illegal or uncomfortable places so that women are forewarned

This is true and, although it's sad to say it, it's only when men feel uncomfortable that something MIGHT be done! So one of our missions should be to embarrass men into not wanting to queue with us!

That sounds awful OP - make sure you complain in as many ways as possible.

Went in the 02 in Leeds on Saturday & they were individual cubicles but shared sinks area. Definitely was not like that when that venue first opened as the Town & Country Club in the 90’s and absolutely not an improvement!

Honestly, you lot should just use catheters. A whole thread which amounts to ‘nothing happened to me in the toilets but I’ve been traumatised.’

And the classism of sneering at a trucker. Hope you’re all going to boycott stores which have food delivered by truck.

Or maybe the filthy male predators should use catheters and stay out of the ladies. How about that?

Proud FEMALEAlly.

Afaic, the Ladies should be the ONE safe place anywhere. If up to me, I'd make it clear by putting up notices saying something like "If you're over 5 and have got a penis, DO NOT come in here - or risk losing that penis!".