Hi all, I’m a very long time lurker but name changed for this (awful that I feel that’s necessary but this is today’s climate).
Essentially, our NHS trust are updating policies as I imagine most are and I have seen a draft.
It’s very long, and there’s nothing unreasonable for the first forty pages or so (!) but buried deep at the end is a very small paragraph referencing toilets.
Without wanting to write it verbatim, the essence is that no one should stop an individual using the toilet of their choice. Goes on to say that a female facility (whether self contained cubicles or not) can be used by anyone identifying as female. And for fairness, it explicitly says a male facility can be used by a male identifier.
My view is that if a self contained cubicle or room (including basin and floor to ceiling walls) is labelled Female (or Male) then just change the label to Unisex.
But that’s not what they are saying and I don’t want to share with a man. For what it’s worth, my Muslim colleagues don’t either and feel unable to comment because they feel marginalised enough as it is.
I don’t think the Darlington ruling is clear enough for me to quote back to them so wondered if anyone can point me in the direction of some substantial evidence perhaps of another Trust or Public Authority who has got the wording nailed?
Thanks in advance.