Stoke shopping centres makes all loos unisex

[Kit19]

twitter.com/okbiology/status/1272896045119389698?s=21

It’s not going down well with the women of stoke!

It’s important that everyone has access to toilet facilities at intu Potteries but we appreciate that the unisex system raised some concerns. We’ve listened to our visitors’ feedback and we have now reinstated Male and Female toilet facilities.

I remember now. It was KFC in Stoke that 'accidently' removed the women's toilet.

And as I said this wouldn't last 5 minutes in Stoke.

We’ve listened to our visitors’ feedback

'We panicked because it turns out we broke the law''.

I am so used to hearing pseudo intellectual waffle on this issue that it is totally refreshing to hear the common sense voices of the Stoke shoppers.

So glad. Was just coming on to say phoned Merry Hill and lady said of course they have separate female loos. i haven’t stickered their loos in the past

We panicked because it turns out we broke the law

You know what , we are all human and we all.make mistakes and even when things come from a good place we dont always see the wider consequences. People would be alot more forgiving if they just told the truth and owned up to their missteps. Promise to train your staff better etc Instead of issuing what almost looks "we still stand by what we did but there you go you bigots, have your toilets back" style apology.

It makes these position very clear

@LouHotel

My city is slowly changing to unisex toilets but these are self contained individual toilets that open directly onto the pavement with the sink inside the cubicle. Unisex can be done correctly.

It’s so obvious sexism when they just convert the women toilets that i can’t imagine a women being involved in the decision making.

I don't even like the idea of unisex self contained toilets like this. I know a lot of people see them as a reasonable compromise but I really am not comfortable with them. I know it's not all about me.

Would happily dig too.
This makes me furious. Would stop me shopping, or letting teenage daughters shop. Have they lost their minds ? Women are the main shoppers in these centres, and women don’t want to share toilets with males.

I don't even like the idea of unisex self contained toilets like this. I know a lot of people see them as a reasonable compromise but I really am not comfortable with them. I know it's not all about me

Yes I agree they have their issues. Same issues in a way that those with disabilities face with their toilets, especially now many people keep saying that trans people should use the disabled toilets.

Increasing the number of people hanging around outside them waiting to use them increases the chances of someone being pushed inside out if anyone and everyone's view and assaulted. You could be there ages before anyone finds you. And with no gap under the door then children could lock themselves in.

Accessible toilets are set up with an alarm system that hopefully means that if the occupant has a fall or gets into difficulty they can activate it so although I'm.sure it has its faults there is the safety measure there. Wont be any good however if someone pushes them in so it's a good reason not to increase the number of people using the toilet or hanging around waiting to use it. Especially as they already have the added risk of it being unisex.

Unisex toilets are not geared up for this at all. And men who are very aware of the fears of women in these situations are far less likely to want to cause alarm by banging on doors or trying doors of they have concerns about someone in there . Same reason they dont approach children they think could be lost. Of someone falls or gets into trouble they could be there for hours.

In schools it must be a nightmare because children are still learning to manage their allergies and their asthma and diabetes etc so the idea their feet wont be seen under a door is a worry.

With regards to hanging around outside accessible toilets that also applies to the men and women ( some even on here) who claim or have claimed that they now use the disabled toilets as they worry about who might be In the regular toilets. Before anyone accuses me of claiming certain people are all dodgy. Increased people means increased chances of meeting someone dodgy.

Stoke women need to complain.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3784510-York-theatre-royal-toilets?pg=1

This thread about theatre changing women's toilets to gender neutral, has a couple of very good letters in it (an original complaint, and a follow-up letter to their initial fobbing off attempt).

I believe the OP was successful in getting this reversed - so it's always worth complaining.

Any Stoke (or visiting) Mumsnetters.

Over the next month or so, if you visit the intu shopping centre, can you confirm vis here, Chat or AIBU that that have indeed stuck to their promise to keep facilities Sex-segregated.

Thanks, Jemima.

That's great! But yes please report back.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3941897-Women-s-toilets-now-gender-neutral-in-Northampton-Park

One for Northampton Mumsnetters.

Good news!

Excellent. Hopefully they'll keep the promise.

Every time this happens it needs to be pointed out that they are breaking equality law. Most places won't want lawsuits they can't defend.

What Ova said.

Local Mumsnetters. Do keep is updated via Chat, AIBU and Here.

It is well documented that the vast majority of sexual assaults that take place are in mixed sex loos, so clearly the claim that safety is a consideration in creating men's loos, mixed sex loos, and no women's loos, is a blatant falsehood.

I hadn't realised they had backed down and reinstated single sex toilets. At least it's clear how the general public feel about this issue!

Wow. Who decides this nonsense! Women are the core customers but let’s alienate them for the sake of 0.0001% of the male population who identify as female. Happy to see sanity has prevailed and well done to all involved.

I don't even like the idea of unisex self contained toilets like this. I know a lot of people see them as a reasonable compromise but I really am not comfortable with them. I know it's not all about me.

It's not clear to me - what is the difference between what they describe and regular single occupant toilets? Like you have in a smaller shop or cafe?

Intu are fairly likely to go into admin on Friday so it won’t have come from then.

It’s likely a decision made by the centre manager. There is a huge push for shopping centres to be highly ESG and this will have been mistakenly picked up by the centre manager as supportive of that goal. It’s good they have been able to reverse it.

I've stopped spending money anywhere that does not provide single sex toilets.
I don't like them.
The ones I've been in smell and are dirty. This alone puts me off, never mind other issues.

Yes @emilybrontescorrsett

I have been boycotting M&S since they announced men can self ID into our changing rooms and also around the same time, Halal meat. I will never shop there again and that hurts.

The Body Shop I am also boycotting since the JK debacle. I have always bought from their Vit E range.

It really, really astounds me how quick brands are willing to push women aside for a tiny minority.

When we get down to brass tacks there are more of us. We have the spending power but they are now telling us men can use the male changing rooms/toilets and men can use the women’s changing rooms/toilets. Such a bad business decision.