Gender-specific toilets to be required in non-residential buildings in England [View all]

Source: The Guardian

Gender-specific toilets to be required in non-residential buildings in England

Ministers say move will combat growing concerns about ‘privacy and dignity’ in gender-neutral facilities

Mabel Banfield-Nwachi
Mon 6 May 2024 00.08 BST
Last modified on Mon 6 May 2024 00.26 BST

New restaurants, offices, schools and hospitals in England will be required to have separate male and female toilets, in a move ministers say will combat growing concerns about “privacy and dignity” in gender-neutral facilities.

The law will mean newly built non-residential buildings require separate facilities, and cannot solely have “universal” lavatories.

According to ministers, 81% agreed with the intention for separate single-sex toilet facilities in a consultation on the proposals, while 82% also agreed with the intention to provide “universal” toilets – a self-contained, and a fully enclosed toilet room with a wash hand basin for individual use – where space allows.

The government said the new requirements will mean people of all genders have access to facilities, either through a separate single-gender space or a “universal” toilet.

However, the policy has been criticised as being transphobic ...

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/may/06/gender-specific-toilets-to-be-required-in-non-residential-buildings-in-england