Sunderland Minster refusing to comply with Supreme Court ruling

[labtest57]

This is from their Facebook page today. No consideration for the women who do not want men in their spaces.

In my LA area the old toilet blocks have been replaced by unisex toilets, brick built, floor to ceiling walls and doors with washing facilities. They are so much better than the old blocks, far less smelly and you open the door and can see who is in there not like walking into one of the old blocks where you had no idea who might be lurking in one of the cubicles. I think it depends if it is well done or a cheap bodge job.

Whereas the number of transwomen that need to be harmed before the gents is considered a problem for them to use is 0.

I am reporting what they have done. The toilets that have been rebadged as unisex do comply, the old unisex toilets in the changing room are not compliant. I only use the swimming pool and cafe, I have no idea if there are different facilities in the gyms and sports areas but I do know the toilets I used in the past are now unisex.

You sound very patronising, not sure if that's intentional.

They have updated their Facebook page to say that that have removed the poster and are reviewing their policies to ensure they are compliant with the law.

!!!

Here is their statement on this. Sounds like a wider review is,triggered. Good.

Looks like someone's had a word.

Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s !

Somebody did a naughty! Glad that common sense, reality, and the rule of law has prevailed. Nothing weasely about the statement either. I hope other organizations take note if they don't want to be sued.

Excellent work all!

I sound patronising? Gosh I'm very sorry TheignT, that was never my intention - in fact that never is my intention, I'd hate to sound patronising, ever!
I apologise if that's how I came across. Definitely unintentional, I assure you.💐

That’s about as trenchant as it could be from the trustees. Good. Might stop the Canon overreaching herself and carrying on her own crusade. More people with oversight should realise that they are potentially personally responsible for the ramifications of actions taken by people in their organisation.

However the Church Times today carries an article saying that Canon Clare MacLaren has defended the display of the sign. So that’ll be fun. Apparently on Monday she said that the sign had been taken down “to safeguard our volunteers from the risk of abuse“. There are no words!

https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/5-june/news/uk/sunderland-minster-defends-use-of-church-s-women-s-toilets-by-trans-women

Edited to add, never thought I’d be posting links from the Church Times on Mumsnet.

I'll get my tiny violin. The good Reverend is not above the secular law.

Bangin! Well done team. Excellent outcome.

Thank you!

https://www.facebook.com/share/18FafgJbCU/

If I were Canon MacLaren, I would be at least a little bit worried about my job tonight. An Act of Contrition might be a bit overkill, but a full, public apology to her parishioners and the diocese at large might be in order. Proper safeguarding training and a short course on humility wouldn't hurt.

A spot of educating herself wouldn't go amiss, I found it quite enlightening some years ago....

Ha. Great point

Personally I think the susceptibility of some religious people to gender ideology is partly about it simply being another faith-based belief system for people who really need belief ; and partly because it appears to them an easy, virtue signalling, way to compensate for any ideas about religion being old fashioned or irrelevant.

That statement reads like they've had an absolute bollocking 😆

The actual safest is a cubicle (with door gaps) within a room. It prevents assaults as nothing is completely private. It also means you are more likely to be rescued in time if you had a medical episode. Otherwise people have been left for hours or days. Being trapped is another problem.
The problem with a private room is it’s used for sex and drugs (and the occasional homeless sleeper). The problem with the sink is it is within the 1.5m toilet flume plume. So you are washing and drying your hands in an area that has the contents of the previous occupants flush plume on it. Interesting they don’t smell. It must have good ventilation via a natural source or good mechanical ventilation.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/woman-stuck-inside-locked-public-35746932.amp

Not how I feel. Walking into a gloomy outdoor toilet block at night is quite intimidating. Our new toilets are somewhere public like a pavement or edge of a car park. With door open you can clearly see no one is lurking. You are more likely to be spotted if you collapse as the door automatically swings open after 15 minutes unless you press a button for more time. They are a great improvement, all the local women I know agree and I think there would be a lot of complaints if they tried to change them.

As to smells! I was in a city visiting someone and used the toilet in the old style single sex block. I was separated from the next cubicle by a flimsy divider, gaps top and bottom. The poor woman in the next cubicle was obviously having bowel issues. The sounds and smell were truly revolting. No problems like that with our private, secure unisex toilets.

My data and evidence proves otherwise. Automated doors are a particular problem.
Honestly don’t want to argue just raising awareness.

... if you collapse as the door automatically swings open after 15 minutes unless you press a button for more time.

Some sort of electronic locking system? I don't like the sound of that much; what happens if it malfunctions? What country is this in?

This system has been used in this country and in Europe. There’s some funny stories about how they were abandoned in a previous wave of them in the 80s and 90s. The poor lady with everyone looking down at her from the bus 😅
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/gallery/hulls-superloos-truth-behind-nightmarish-8611659