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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

More gender-neutral toilets

32 replies

Stopsnowing · 10/04/2024 22:52

Looks like Network Rail is creating gender neutral toilets at London Bridge. Why?

More gender-neutral toilets
OP posts:
GHSP · 10/04/2024 22:55

I’m hoping that the picture is just a stock
image, as I can’t see myself wanting to walk into a gender-neutral facility with urinals…

fedupandstuck · 10/04/2024 22:57

Those are urinals in the picture I think? So, not "gender neutral" assuming they mean mixed sex. Those would be men's toilets.

I hope that they mean that there are mixed sex toilets in addition to single sec provision, but I doubt it.

I wish they'd put Mixed Sex instead of "gender neutral" just so that everyone is crystal clear what they mean. I would not dream of using mixed sex toilets at London Bridge train station (or anywhere else!).

fedupandstuck · 10/04/2024 23:00

More information here:

www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/kent/new-toilets-at-london-bridge-station/

Thankfully, it is actually female, male, accessible and then "gender neutral". Phew.

Myalternate · 10/04/2024 23:03

Urinals ? Are men going to want women (us real ones) casually walking past them to go to a cubical? I’ve 3 under 4 and can’t take them all in at once so I need to leave the door slightly open to keep an eye on them.

Myalternate · 10/04/2024 23:05

fedupandstuck

I was so astonished by the sign I didn’t notice the link you posted. 😅

MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 10/04/2024 23:06

The link posted makes it clear there will be additional female only toilets, male toilets, two accessible toilets and one 'gender neutral'. Suits me, I would use the women's and anyone 'identifying' as a woman can use the gender neutral, safe space for everyone

Stopsnowing · 10/04/2024 23:14

That link is really helpful thanks. Great there are all options!

OP posts:
Cazpar · 10/04/2024 23:15

MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 10/04/2024 23:06

The link posted makes it clear there will be additional female only toilets, male toilets, two accessible toilets and one 'gender neutral'. Suits me, I would use the women's and anyone 'identifying' as a woman can use the gender neutral, safe space for everyone

Not just about identification, gender neutral toilets are very useful for families when out or when a carer might be looking after someone of the opposite sex. We need more of them (in addition to single sex toilets).

Myalternate · 10/04/2024 23:16

Would someone ‘identifying’ as a woman use the gender neutral one?
Somehow, I don’t believe they would.

HoneyButterPopcorn · 11/04/2024 08:22

Mixed sex loos - in a huge train station? What could go wrong?

have they still got that god awful rainbow bedecked pillar?

Abccde · 11/04/2024 08:27

And the males using the female toilets will continue to do so and there will be no push back from Network Rail even though they are providing perfectly acceptable facilities for TW to use.

CaptainWarbeck · 11/04/2024 08:33

I went to a very queer-friendly wedding recently at a town hall where the couple had put 'all-gender' stickers over all the bathroom options. They were very convincing, took me a while to realise they were stickers!

After a visit to one all-gender bathroom with urinals where I was trying to fix my makeup next to a male friend who had just walked in and clearly felt too uncomfortable to use the urinals directly next to the sink and mirror (and me) I found the disabled bathroom (now another 'all-gender' option) and used that from then on.

I don't have any major reasons not to share bathrooms with men, other than it was uncomfortable. Sex-specific spaces and then a third gender-neutral space is definitely the best option.

TomeTome · 11/04/2024 08:37

If they’re unisex (open to both sexes like disabled toilets) and in addition to single sex facilities I think that’s perfect, but why mention gender at all?

HoneyButterPopcorn · 11/04/2024 08:38

It’s ‘unisex’ not ‘all gender’. They don’t check your clothes and hobby preferences at the door.

Out of interest - was it a male/female wedding?

CaptainWarbeck · 11/04/2024 08:41

Agree - all gender was the term they chose.

It was a wedding between a biological male and a biological female. Both are bisexual, one is non-binary. The relationship is an open one. The celebrant was trans and the best person was non-binary.

Riverlee · 11/04/2024 08:41

Because I’m old and ignorant, isn’t ’gender neutral’ toilets the same as what we used to call ‘unisex’?

To be slightly tongue in cheek, what toilets do those who don’t identify with a gender use?

MidsomerMurmurs · 11/04/2024 08:41

It’s ‘unisex’ not ‘all gender’

Surely it’s Mixed Sex (as in, people in there will be some from each of the two sexes)

BonzoGates · 11/04/2024 08:42

Myalternate · 10/04/2024 23:16

Would someone ‘identifying’ as a woman use the gender neutral one?
Somehow, I don’t believe they would.

This exactly. It's about validation so men would use the women's loos.

Hoppinggreen · 11/04/2024 08:42

I dont want men in our toilets BUT I was struck by a slightly different angle to the potential predators issue recently.
I was at a Uni sporting event with DS15 and 3 of his mates and as I headed for the "Toilets for all" DS said "you're not coming in here with us are you Mum?"
I said that I needed a wee before setting off home and he was horrified at the thought of sharing with me (the feeling was mutual)

ErrolTheDragon · 11/04/2024 08:54

MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 10/04/2024 23:06

The link posted makes it clear there will be additional female only toilets, male toilets, two accessible toilets and one 'gender neutral'. Suits me, I would use the women's and anyone 'identifying' as a woman can use the gender neutral, safe space for everyone

That sounds good.

But they should ditch this silly trendy 'gender neutral' label. No loos should be 'gender' specific, so there's no need. Just female, male and then add some any sex ones (properly designed cubicles obv).

I'm not sure if I'm right but I feel like I see more loos labelled as female and male nowadays ... perhaps some quiet, untrumpeted sense in action? Of course males who claim to be 'female' still won't respect them but it's a move in the right direction.

fashionqueen1183 · 11/04/2024 08:55

CaptainWarbeck · 11/04/2024 08:33

I went to a very queer-friendly wedding recently at a town hall where the couple had put 'all-gender' stickers over all the bathroom options. They were very convincing, took me a while to realise they were stickers!

After a visit to one all-gender bathroom with urinals where I was trying to fix my makeup next to a male friend who had just walked in and clearly felt too uncomfortable to use the urinals directly next to the sink and mirror (and me) I found the disabled bathroom (now another 'all-gender' option) and used that from then on.

I don't have any major reasons not to share bathrooms with men, other than it was uncomfortable. Sex-specific spaces and then a third gender-neutral space is definitely the best option.

Why did they sticker a building that didn’t belong to them- did they remove them when they left?

ErrolTheDragon · 11/04/2024 08:59

gender neutral toilets are very useful for families

Yes... they should be designed with big enough cubicles for a parent to take kids into. Maybe not so much in stations but many locations would benefit from family friendly loos... we were always puzzled by the lack of them when DH was taking DD to museums and zoos etc.

CaptainWarbeck · 11/04/2024 09:09

@fashionqueen1183 yes they hired the building I guess so repurposed the toilets with signs to suit their needs. Given all the fuss about trans people just needing to pee and the significant number of trans people at the wedding I was happy at the start that they had toilets that would work for them. I was surprised how uncomfortable it made the regular guests though, including me.

Cazpar · 11/04/2024 09:10

fashionqueen1183 · 11/04/2024 08:55

Why did they sticker a building that didn’t belong to them- did they remove them when they left?

Given the support on here for stickering of things that don't belong to the women of FWR, this is ironic.

Abccde · 11/04/2024 09:16

Hoppinggreen · 11/04/2024 08:42

I dont want men in our toilets BUT I was struck by a slightly different angle to the potential predators issue recently.
I was at a Uni sporting event with DS15 and 3 of his mates and as I headed for the "Toilets for all" DS said "you're not coming in here with us are you Mum?"
I said that I needed a wee before setting off home and he was horrified at the thought of sharing with me (the feeling was mutual)

My daughter insisted I go downstairs to the ladies toilet instead of using the 'all gender' toilets upstairs at the theatre. She was adamant that I didn't use them. I was surprised she felt so strongly about it. So I went downstairs and waited in a very long queue (I wonder why the queue was so long 🤔).

I did go into the 'gender neutral' toilets later with my young son. I waited by the cubicle door whilst he did the toilet and it just didn't feel rights . These were ladies toilets that had a new sign of the door. They did not have floor to ceiling cubicle doors and hand washing was communal. It felt really uncomfortable.