Sex/gender divided toilets in senior schools

[TimIsHavingABadDay]

Hey all. My daughter is due to start seniors next year and we have been doing the obligatory tours of schools. One each trip I have asked whether toilets are divided by sex or gender and for the most part got very scared teachers, afraid to either confirm or deny anything. I have just got a reply form my daughters first choice school that says very clearly and firmly that toilets are divided by sex and should a trans student attend the school, they would be given a disabled toilet pass. They are a church funded school, so not sure if that has affected their stance?

has anybody asked this question of their own local schools?

I don’t think the trans child’s family would be happy with that (if there were one) but it’s a very sensible stance from the school

Very sensible behaviour from this school. This stance protects the safety and dignity of both groups of students. I have to say I haven’t asked the same question of my daughters high school.

I don’t think the trans child’s family would be happy with that (if there were one) but it’s a very sensible stance from the school

Actually I don't think that's a given, I've seen a number of comments by parents who's child has used these facilities. Of course parents of children who have a disability may feel differently.

I think if you are asking these questions it is only fair to ask them of the SLT or perhaps pastoral, not random teachers.

Also, if asking these questions, you do need to make it clear you are expecting the answer to be single sex, otherwise they may go away with the impression you prefer single gender.

I actually struggle to understand why a "transgirl" would feel more comfortable in a girls changing space rather than a private space.

We all know that puberty can be a difficult time. Changing rooms can be a nightmare for a girl who is not developing at the same rate of her peers. Eg first to get hair or the last to develop a bust.

If your body is never going to develop that way without medical intervention then it must be very distressing to be surrounded by girls going through these changes.

I do realise I've gone off on a tangent.

Just to clarify, i did ask the pastoral team, I have met them all before as my older children attended the school. I know them to be very accomodating for students with issues as my son is autistic and they did go above and beyond but never at the expense of other students.

That's the actual (though maybe not the written) policy for the trans kids at our school, though as they're all female, it may be what they have requested. So far as I know, they haven't yet had to contend with a male trans child who wants to use the girls' facilities.

My DD goes to a single sex school but they’ve publicly said they happily allow any girl to identify as a boy. At one point one of the transboys was going to transfer to the boys school we partner with, but that didn’t happen. What kind of parent would do that to their female/transboy child? Maybe the school itself said, no we can’t ensure their safety. I also heard from my DD they have had mermaids at school, which pissed me right off. If I had known I would of complained. I am so glad I chose single sex school now.

I've patted about this before but our (newly built) local senior school has unisex toilets, with floor to ceiling cubicles facing onto a sink area. The bathrooms are open onto the corridor. This was apparently to reduce bullying and hiding. The loos do not have seat covers/lids so you can't sit on them (obviously there's a toilet seat, but no upper cover)
The toilets, which are supposed to be unisex (well, they are termed 'gender neutral') have alternating pink and blue doors. The pink door cubicles have sanitary bins and the blue ones do not. So, not very unisex at all.

There is rather a lot wrong with this picture, it's hard to know where to start!

I don’t think the trans child’s family would be happy with that (if there were one) but it’s a very sensible stance from the school

The bottom line is it’s a LEGAL position from the school. See the actual Equality Act as opposed to one that’s been mangled by AWA’s

www.theguardian.com/society/2017/oct/09/child-on-child-sexual-assaults-soar-police-figures-reveal

Contact transgender trend and they will send you a pack to give to the school