The Telegraph reports that the government will guarantee sex segregated toilets in public buildings. It quotes Lord Lucas and describes resistance from peers at the insidious, advance of 'gender neutral ' toilets at the behest of a niche lobby. Lord Lucas gives a robust defence of women's rights to privacy and it is good to see the government seems aware of the conflict of rights and is actually defending what should be the default Conservative position.
“^The Government is committed to maintaining safeguards that protect women. Proper provision of separate toilets for both men and for women, which has long been a regulatory requirement, should be retained and improved.”Earlier this week, Lord Lucas, a Conservative hereditary peer, said of the trend for gender-neutral lavatories: “Women do not want to wash bloody underwear in front of men. What is the justification for making women feel unsafe where now they feel safe?”
Welcoming the rethink this weekend, the peer told The Daily Telegraph: “I am delighted that the Government is to make sure that public buildings provide properly safe spaces for women.
“I hope that they will also make sure that there are enough such spaces to meet demand – or at least to provide for women’s needs equally with men’s.”^