ceo gone back on promise re: gender neutral toilets

[JenniferAlisonPhilipaSue]

After our CEO promising the company would not introduce gender neutral toilets, our accessible toilets are being turned into gender neutral toilets. As a disabled woman who cannot use 'normal' toilets, this means potentially more competition for a toilet, and a longer wait for the single one on each floor to be free. It means having to go between floors to find an unoccupied one, which can be difficult. I know I share a toilet with a male (my DH) at home, but every time a male has used accessible toilets at work, the place absolutely reeks. They usually use it to have their smelliest shits as they think they can be as smelly and as noisy as they like and not be heard etc but how is that fair to the next user, the disabled person, who has nowhere else to go? And if that wasn't bad enough, its now a gender neutral toilet. I just don't think its fair as disabled employees are already limited in our options and this is a disability charity I work for, with vulnerable disabled staff and service users. What, if anything can I do? We aren't unionised and I've tried anonymously complaining before to no avail.

I daresay if people are choosing to use the single toilets to shit it's because they are embarrassed, or too repressed, to do it in a stall next to some other random person. I had an uncle who could not have a shit if someone was upstairs in the house (where his toilet was.) Shit being smelly is really not an appropriate thing to chastize people about. SOme people can manage to only do it at home, others need to do it in short order when they feel the urge.

Anyway - I am wondering what the basis was for the original promise, and the reason for the change. It seems to me that is where you need to start. And from there, ask some pointy questions about whether, if they are going to go ahead with this new larger user group, they may need more toilets.

You're all lovely people, to defend the smelly shitters...

I have worked with multiple men, who not only made it a point to poo in company time (I knew one contractor who actually kept a spreadsheet), but, who also would choose to use the accessible toilet to do so, as it was nicer and more private (we had no disabled employees on our side of the floor).

The men actually complained about one of them who, due to a particularly unusual diet, apparently did do horrendously smelly poos - (albeit in the mens in his case - so he had some consideration for others), at 11am on the dot every day - they all knew to avoid the place around that time

Scientifically it has been proven that women's waste products smell more than men's, or at least their farts do.

I'm glad we have found Disgusted's level: "Eww, girls, they smell!"

ROFL - without wishing to dwell on smelly shit more than I have to, surely there's a matter of time and volume - in my experience men both do larger poos (honestly my 8 year old is going to require a poo knife soon - something I never new existed until MN), and spend longer doing so - thus a greater smell.

Man farts - pizza, beer and circular saws
For some reason 'circular saws' has really made me laugh

@QuinkWashable

You're all lovely people, to defend the smelly shitters...

I have worked with multiple men, who not only made it a point to poo in company time (I knew one contractor who actually kept a spreadsheet), but, who also would choose to use the accessible toilet to do so, as it was nicer and more private (we had no disabled employees on our side of the floor).

The men actually complained about one of them who, due to a particularly unusual diet, apparently did do horrendously smelly poos - (albeit in the mens in his case - so he had some consideration for others), at 11am on the dot every day - they all knew to avoid the place around that time

QuinkWashable

You're all lovely people, to defend the smelly shitters

Coping with inflammatory bowel disease is bad enough without having to cope with the sort of ignorance being displayed here

I think you need to find out of there's an EIA done on changing the accessable toilet into a toilet for all staff.
I think you said there was another disabled toilet on another floor, ask if they have assessed the increased risk of trips and falls when making disabled staff travel to a different floor and potentially past loads of hazards to use a different facility that is also very likely to be in use because that too is available to all staff.

I'd be kicking off if I were you.

While it's definitely arguable that IBD could be considered a disability in moderate to severe cases, there is little indication that a sufferer would need disabled toilet facility.
They are for those who are not physically capable of using a unadapted toilet.

Wheelchair turning room? Adjusted taps? Call bell for falls? Handrails?
Perhaps if need to use a full incontinence nappy and need the disposal bin and changing space.

Coping with inflammatory bowel disease is bad enough without having to cope with the sort of ignorance being displayed here

I meant the blokes I know who absolutely used the accessible toilets for leisurely, stinky poos - as I went on to explain.

I have sympathy for OP if by making the accessible toilets open to everyone the number of people using them has increased, making it more difficult for her to access a toilet.
But moaning about people shitting in a toilet is ridiculous. That's what they're for FGS.

I am not understanding the logic.

While it may well be rude to use the disabled toilet when you don't need it, I cannot for the life of me see how it is less rude to smell up the men's (or women's) loos than the disabled ones.

Or is the idea that people should refrain from pooping at work?

A lot of missing the point. People in this case the men in OPs office, are using the disabled toilet when they have no need of it.
They just fancy a bit more privacy for their leisurely shits and and thus making disabled toilets unavailable for extended periods.

Hello,
I'm almost in the exact same position..
I'm a civil servant.
The disabled toilet has been renamed "accessible"
Facilities & equality lead call it "accessible" & therefore it is nit disabled & it is open to everyone.
Management acknowledged that it is misused by mostly the male staff yet haven't done anything about it.
Facilities have no care at all.
"We can't stop people using it"
In the meantime, I've multiple disabilities, none visible & I'm also completely urinary incontinent & visually impaired.
The disabled colour contrast toilet seat was replaced with a white household one with lid, that fell on me every time I sat down, this took weeks to remove & I couldn't access the back rest.
In an 8 month period
It was dirty & unflushed with seat up 113 times.
Light switched off 108 times.
I've had no access 94 times. Usually staff changing, the staff member who just cycled 18 miles to work, contractors etc.
The door has been tried while I've been in there 138 times.
Grab rails are moved up, lights switched off & left stinking.
I placed my own signs in there asking to leave the light on & check it was flushed. Hello, I'm half blind.
When we have visitors & contractors on site I monitor what I drink because I know access is limited.
I spent a month watching it being misused & now go at set times every 1.30 hours ish, so that I can have access.
I'd have no chance if I had an upset or have a bad day & stomach.
They changed the sanitary bin & I spent almost 4 months hiding my incontinence pads & taking them home in my taxi because my repeated requests that my pads couldn't fit in the new bin were ignored.
As of last week, the incontinence bin is full again & I'm back to carrying them & hiding them to take them home.
There is no ventilation in there, I take my own disinfectant spray & air freshener.
I do have a brilliant manager atm who wants a radar lock on it. But I think he's so nice they'll just ignore him. I've complained for 4 years.
Nobody cares. People would rather gossip at the fact there's a nappy bin in the disabled toilet for me.
I hate it. Where's my dignity at work?
Nobody cares.
Sending you a hug.
I've been to EHRC etc.
The disabled toilet is classed as a reasonable adjustment.
But the fact its been renamed accessible just in case of trans staff doesn't matter.
Trans isn't a disability.

These toilets were fought for & all meaning has now been lost. Disabled means nothing when they're opened up to everyone.

Sorry, don't know how to edit.

Go to access to work & ask for an assessment & disability impact re the toilet. Not sure how much help it will be but nothing ventured etc.

@WanderinWomb

While it's definitely arguable that IBD could be considered a disability in moderate to severe cases, there is little indication that a sufferer would need disabled toilet facility. They are for those who are not physically capable of using a unadapted toilet. Wheelchair turning room? Adjusted taps? Call bell for falls? Handrails? Perhaps if need to use a full incontinence nappy and need the disposal bin and changing space.

More ignorance.