The safety threat some believe gender neutral toilets pose to women has sparked up debate once again, following remarks made in the House of Lords by Lord Lucas, a backbench Conservative peer.
Lucas claims these facilities make women feel “unsafe and uncomfortable,” especially when they are on their periods. Although research is limited, there are no statistics which suggest a rise in sexual assault or harassment at gender neutral toilets in London.
Myles Shillingford, an activist and member of the LGBTQ+ community, frequently attends queer spaces which use these facilities. “I don’t feel as though they take the safety away from women as I myself personally have yet to hear of a case in which this has happened,” he says. “Plus, every house [and] hotel room has a gender neutral toilet but I don’t see anyone raise hell about them!”
Universities are also starting to embrace gender neutral facilities, which is where Monique Ryan-Long, a former student of Ravensbourne University, first encountered them.
“The cubicles were self contained with a sink and dryer so I didn’t really come into contact with other people,” Ryan-Long states. “Women are still at risk when in an all female toilet, I don’t think the risk comes just from the opposite gender.”
Although everyone’s experiences with gender neutral facilities differs, it is clear that the debate will not end anytime soon.
