Uncomfortable about unisex toilets at work

[Onlyinanemergency]

My workplace is moving to new premises and all the toilets are to be unisex. Apparently the bathrooms consist of several floor-to-ceiling cubicals opening out onto shared sinks. There is then a large window onto a public corridor so that the sink area can be seen from outside the bathroom. There are 3 of these bathrooms, one on each floor of the building, as well as 3 single disabled toilets. The architects have obviously put a lot of thought into creating toilets which are unisex but also fairly safe and private, yet I still feel really uncomfortable about the idea. Particularly about not being given a choice. Am I wrong?

Also echoing what bewilderness said.

Glad you hear my no, Rat. Perhaps you want to stop arguing that women don't need or want sex specific spaces. You could do that. If everyone did that, we wouldn't be here now.

Well Pratchet, I'm newly convinced that in a unisex situation we do indeed need sinks and dryers in the same enclosed spaces as our toilets, but I'm not on board with needing our own little corridors for them to branch off; assuming they are well designed with safety demonstrably in mind.

Can we agree to disagree on the well-designed corridors?

We have single sex toilets with cubicles which are fine. Why change?

Who are you asking?I don't know. It is not actually my idea.

Although this discussion has made me think that in some situations eg train or bus stations locked single rooms entered direct from the main concourse are a safer option than single sex toilets entered somewhere less public.

I won't be mounting a campaign for this but other opinions do exist.

When women say they would share hospital wards with men I can only assume they are not aware of the frequency with which staff remove men from women's rooms in hospitals and care homes. I would not know if my mum had not worked in one

A relative spent some time in an aged care facilit last year whilst recovering from an illness. There were three men who were known sex pests. One male member of staff had the actual job of watching two of them and the third was judged to be an 'old dear' who was confused re which was his room and bed... Funny how he always demonstrated his confusion by trying to climb into womens beds...

Yes, a man tried to get into bed with my Gran in hospital when she was recovering from a fall.

Even when you're old you can't get any peace!

My SiL was in a locked area of a hospital recently (for people with alcoholic and psychiatric problems, she kept trying to leave) and there was a man there whose trousers kept accidentally falling down.

@juells: there was a man there whose trousers kept accidentally falling down

I would have kept trying to leave too if a man was repeatedly indecently exposing himself. Given the overrepresentation of sexual assault victims amongst female mental patients, surely secure psych wards should be single-sex? Being locked in a space with men isn't going to be a beneficial therapeutic environment for any female rape victim.

Oh, but that's a shame really though Juells. He probably couldn't help it, we can't blame them for everything!

metro.co.uk/2018/01/14/woman-who-feared-men-accused-of-transphobia-after-objecting-to-hospital-room-with-trans-woman-7227597/

Julles.
Why are you slagging men off.

I should imagine its the whole free will and personal opinion bit vicky

@Vicky1990

Julles
Why are you slagging men off.

Wha? Wha'd I say? Tell me, I'll mend my ways and learn a lesson.

Julles.
Men don't give a fuck about girls comfort or privacy.

Quite a sweeping statement and unfounded I thought.

I also thought employers had an obligation to provide separate male and female toilets, even if some were unisex. Not surprised you're uncomfortable at not having the option at least.

Men don't give a fuck about girls comfort or privacy.

If you prefixed with "Some" men, I might give it more credence. Thats a sweeping statement, and dare I say hypocracy of sexism.

I was asking Rat.

Less public entrances to single sex cubicles make them more dangerous.

I'd say 'most' on recent evidence

By all means let us walk on eggshells and never ever speak in generalities because women are just asking to be corrected by those who pretend they do not know the difference between a generality and an accusation.
We see you.

Petty distractions whilst they covet our spaces and injure our women rugby players. Which incidentally the women's rugby team gave no consent to playing against a transwoman and even their coaches were not informed.

Men don't give a fuck about girls comfort or privacy.

I was seven when I learned this lesson. How old were you?

thebewilderness

When women say they would share hospital wards with men I can only assume they are not aware of the frequency with which staff remove men from women's rooms in hospitals and care homes. I would not know if my mum had not worked in one.

These incursions do occur but the frequency is actually quite rare and it's usually the confused or dementia patients. For instance in my last two years working on a ward I have had to remove two people from opposite sex rooms. Both dementia sufferers. One male and... one female.

Back on topic I don't have a particular problem with unisex loos but I appreciate some people, whatever their sex may feel uncomfortable sharing.
Six years or so ago I was invited to a "stay behind" for staff and selected patrons by a nightclub manager. I popped the ladies, slightly worse for wear. The lock was broken on the door. While sitting underwear and tights around knees, legs akimbo trying to keep the door shut with one foot, a male dressed in male clothing attempted to attack me. Luckily my shouting and resistance made him run away. He had tried it on with me earlier and I'd spurned him, so unbeknown to me he skulked around in the shadows during club closing.
Nowhere is completely safe.

Thank you for sharing your individual experience.
I do not think we can extrapolate from what you say since other care workers have had very different experiences from yours.

Nowhere is completely safe.

Everyone is aware of that. It doesn't change that women are generally safer and feel more comfortable and private with sex segregated toilets. It doesn't have to be "well we can't make things 100% safe so why bother at all"

Sorry about your experience

Less public entrances to single sex cubicles make them more dangerous

Yes. I agree. That was what I was saying. I gave you an example of a public entrance to unisex toilets which are completely safe, as anyone using it is visible to other people in a public place, and a single sex set up which uses a communal hallway where anyone using is not visible to anyone apart from whoever is in the communal hallway.

Of the 2 the unisex version is the safer.

Many existing single sex facilities are accessed via communal hallways.