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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Secondary school introduces "girls" toilets

92 replies

Snowbeau · 11/08/2020 22:54

Sent to me by a friend, a secondary school has refurbed their toilet block with cubicles for "girls" and "boys" and non specified. The sinks are in the communal bathroom area not in cubicles.

Comments are quoting that it's now law that these toilets are put into schools. Can anyone verify?

Secondary school introduces "girls" toilets
OP posts:
CourtneyLurve · 12/08/2020 09:28

What is wrong with the world? Why would this change even occur to them? It's like they sit down and think "What can we fuck with to make ourselves look busy..."

Lougle · 12/08/2020 09:28

@Vodkacranberryplease

You should name the school here. This is outrageous.
You can see the school name in the OP's picture.
Kokeshi123 · 12/08/2020 09:31

It looks blurred out to me. I tried searching for the text on Twitter but nothing came up.

SilverGiraffe7 · 12/08/2020 09:32

If I've got this right; in W block there were only girls' toilets. However, boys and girls now have to use them as school are limiting movement due to Covid and asking all year 9 to stay in W block using those toilets to follow SD / bubble rules. I'm not sure what else they could have done with only 5 cubicles to 'covert'? Or what the difference would have been if they named, say, three 'girls' and 2 'boys'?

Kokeshi123 · 12/08/2020 09:36

Oh---it's Swanmore College.

Falleninwiththewrongcrowd · 12/08/2020 09:38

:17BaronEssoStation

Why does the college put the words boys and girls in quotation marks?

What's going on there then?

Writing "girls" in quotes is equivalent to saying so-called girls. It means anyone who calls themselves girls. I can't think what else it could mean.

BaronEssoStation · 12/08/2020 09:45

Yes that's all I could come up with too, fallen.

Bloody pathetic aren't they?

BlurtingOutTheInsideVoice · 12/08/2020 09:46

See this factsheets from safe school alliance safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/factsheets/
Also i would not be happy with the cctv in the communal areas especially as they are cubicles and not rooms.
You can also chalkeng if you were not asked (as a stakeholder) for your view. And I think they need to do a risk assessment against the Equality act. So you could ask to see both of those.
If no risk assessments gave been done the a letter to governors ccing ofstead.

Lougle · 12/08/2020 09:46

@SilverGiraffe7

If I've got this right; in W block there were only girls' toilets. However, boys and girls now have to use them as school are limiting movement due to Covid and asking all year 9 to stay in W block using those toilets to follow SD / bubble rules. I'm not sure what else they could have done with only 5 cubicles to 'covert'? Or what the difference would have been if they named, say, three 'girls' and 2 'boys'?
It wouldn't make a difference. It contravenes the law, either way.

What they could have done, is put floor to ceiling walls (chipboard would have been fine) and floor to ceiling doors. Then they would be rooms, which would be fine.

Adjacent toilets of mixed sex is ok. One block of toilet cubicles which are mixed sex is not.

ItalianHat · 12/08/2020 09:48

But why are the simple nouns girls and boys put in scare quotation marks?

Do these words not mean anything now? Is there an ironic undertone?

FemaleAndLearning · 12/08/2020 09:53

lougle have you been in touch with Safe Schools Alliance. I believe they will be a great help. What you describe is mixed sex toilets without floor to ceiling cubicles. They sound unlawful, but SSA can advise. On their resources page they have a download on toilets so you can read this in the meantime.
safeschoolsallianceuk.net/resources-2/factsheets/

maltravers · 12/08/2020 09:54

I would be worried the boys might push mobile phones under the cubicle gap.

FemaleAndLearning · 12/08/2020 09:54

Plus 'gender neutral' my arse let's call them what they are mixed sex.

Lougle · 12/08/2020 09:57

@maltravers

I would be worried the boys might push mobile phones under the cubicle gap.
To be fair, on the Facebook page the school has posted other photos. The cubicle walls do extend to the floor, so that wouldn't be possible. But they don't extend to the ceiling, so a phone could be held over the top and a photo/video taken.
Lougle · 12/08/2020 09:58

@FemaleAndLearning I have contacted the school and the council about it. I'll see what they say before going further.

Original poster
Snowbeau · 12/08/2020 10:03

They've also said it's on the grounds of "inclusion" also in quotation marks.

I don't like the thought that they are implying these are for so called girls and so called boys. What if I'm not a so called girl? Or what if I'm transitioning would this make me so called? Why is it up to the school to question children's genders which they are doing by implying they are so called girls.

The friend who sent it to me also has a child who goes there so I'll pass that info over. Thank you

OP posts:
Lougle · 12/08/2020 10:11

They've basically realised that by having a year group restricted to W Block toilets, they have no boys' toilets in that block. So they have given a nod to 'equality' and taken away 4 girls' toilets so that boys can use them.

LookAtTheCahhOlivahhhhh · 12/08/2020 10:13

[quote Lougle]@FemaleAndLearning I have contacted the school and the council about it. I'll see what they say before going further.[/quote]
Would you like other women to do so too? Happy to support.

ItalianHat · 12/08/2020 10:18

@Lougle

They've basically realised that by having a year group restricted to W Block toilets, they have no boys' toilets in that block. So they have given a nod to 'equality' and taken away 4 girls' toilets so that boys can use them.
Even though there is scads & scads of evidence to suggest that girls & women need lavatories more and for longer than boys & men?

I gather no equality impact assessment was done then ...

AnaadiNitya · 12/08/2020 10:23

Good news this is going to be so embarrassing for the girls. Even the noise getting a box of tampax out or taking the strip of a back of the pad is going to alert immature teenage boys that the girl next door is on her period.

Just bloody awful

NiceGerbil · 12/08/2020 10:39

As usual girls lose facilities and boys gain them.

Even though with toilets we need more not less.

Gottalife · 12/08/2020 10:42

This is now a unisex toilet and it looks wonderful. Thanks to the lady who adopted it.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-devon-53729892/how-brixham-woman-adopted-an-axed-toilet-block

Lougle · 12/08/2020 11:25

@LookAtTheCahhOlivahhhhh
"Would you like other women to do so too? Happy to support."

That's a kind offer. I'm not looking to start a war and the parents are out in force on the Facebook page, so I think the message will get through.

LookAtTheCahhOlivahhhhh · 12/08/2020 11:38

I was thinking of a polite message to give weight to your complaint, but it sounds like the parents have it sorted.
My child is very small, Mums like you are standing up and saying no now so that school will be safe when it's her turn, so thank you.

Choochoose · 12/08/2020 11:45

So all year 9s won't have the choice but will have to use them. Wow, I would have definitely not gone all day, even at great risk to my health at that age.