Non inclusive toilets

[Deanefan]

Visited the excellent “coffin works” museum in Birmingham recently. Totally brilliant if you are into industrial heritage/social history and highly recommended.

I did point out that their inclusive toilets are not suitable however for menstruating women especially perhaps those using cups. Three cubicles all with sanitary bins but only sinks for handwashing are in a common lobby.

The volunteer behind the desk said “oh that is a very fair point” Low level maybe but I’m pleased I didn’t ignore it.

Well done, you could follow up in writing? If we all did this the message might start to sink in.

And thanks for the recommendation- I love a good museum.

Thank you OP. It is a very important to register issues such as this. Hopefully the message will get passed on.

Well done OP.

Imagine having to do that in front of a man.

Maybe we should organise some protests along those lines to make it crystal clear.

I thought mixed gender toilets had to have a sink in the toilet cubicle?

Yep.
(Mixed sex, of course - all loos are mixed ‘gender’ as that now doesn’t equate to sex)

Indeed they should. I hesitated to raise it because small charity etc. But the outer door was actually labelled “inclusive” with pictograms for male, female and half and half 🙄 and that spurred me on

Worth noting that just because someone is working in a place which has unsuitable /not legal facilities doesn’t mean they necessarily condone it. Some of them may themselves be uncomfortable and be glad of support and good points they can put to The Powers that Be.

Well done OP, thanks for sharing, please do follow up in writing.

That is also a fair point and one that I shall try and work into my email.

Were they originally single-sex toilets that have been 'rebadged' as mixed sex? If it's an old building, this is possible, and yet another example of taking a perfectly adequate AND reg-compliant toilet provision and ruining it with rebadging.

If they have removed the old toilets, and installed these new ones, since Doc T came into effect, these toilets are not legal - mixed handwashing facilities are not OK.
1) Toilet accommodation in buildings other than dwellings—

(a) must consist of—
(i) (ii) reasonable provision for male and female single-sex toilets, or where space precludes provision of single-sex toilets, universal toilets, and

(b) may consist of universal toilets in addition to single-sex toilets.

(2) In this requirement— “single-sex toilet” means toilet facilities which—
(a) are intended for the exclusive use of persons of the same sex, and
(b) provide washbasins and hand-drying facilities in—
(i) either the toilet room or cubicle, or
a separate area intended for use only by persons of that sex.

“universal toilet” means toilet facilities which— (a) are provided in a fully enclosed room which contains a water closet and washbasin and hand-drying facilities, and (b) is intended for individual use by persons of either sex.
Toilet accommodation: Approved Document T

IANAEOUKBR - 'I am not an expert on UK building regs'
so I'm not sure how much of the UK Doc T covers, though it is a 'HM Government' document - but I think it might be worth mentioning in complaints if the building is new, or if they have actually replaced the toilets with new structures - 'Can you confirm that this new configuration meets with all the requirements set out in Document T of The Building Regulations 2010 v.2024 and all other relevant regulations?

At least it puts it up to them to consider their regulatory responsibilities, which it looks like lots of venues don't. and confirm or deny that they are meeting them.

Well done op. It’s so important that we make some noise about this. Planners did not stop for one second to think about women when they decided to make sure trans people were happy. Religious women, menstruating women, women with huge pushchairs that can’t fit in a cubicle - all totally forgotten about.

That's exactly what Doc T of the Building Regs does - it guarantees women's privacy in either single sex toilets and hand washing facilities OR - and only if there isn't enough space for single sex toilets, or as an optional extra - 'universal' toilets which must have the handwashing facilities contained inside the cubicle.
There is also a requirement - I think under Doc M but I'm not sure - for at least one cubicle in single-sex toilets to be made wider in order to accommodate pushchairs etc.

It's not so much that women were forgotten about in drawing up regulations, it's that venues seem to be completely ignoring the regs., in spirit and in letter.

This is a commercial website, but they have this very factual and to-the-point setting out of the requirements of Doc T etc.
Navigating Approved Document T: Modern Washroom Design and Compliance Made Simple - Dunhams

So an email has been sent. I did not demand a reply but will report back if one materialises. Delivered in true shit sandwich style!
Things I loved about the tour with specifics, concern about the toilet only focussing on menstruation, emphasised I have already recommended it and will continue to do so.

I think what we need is a crack team of gender-critical Registered Building Control Approvers (RBCAs) who will be ready at a moment's notice to mobilise and fast-rope into a venue to assess the toilet facilities and give an immediate and definitive verdict.
The GCRBAs are coming. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
😄

You know, if women did start doing it front of men there would be uproar!

Not that we should ever be in that situation.

I had to wash menstrual blood from my hands in front of male delegates at a conference in a museum venue once. It was mortifying.

Great long Belfast sink with multiple taps. Everyone together. Awful.

That’s awful! I feel for you.

My daughters have the same arrangement at school - it’s grim.

I wonder if mooncup usage will reduce because women can’t increase single sex toilets?

So I have received a reply. It notes my concerns and states they will look into ways to change things for "people that use menstrual cups" even though I had use woman/women in my email. At least their were no pronouns in the signature!