Government ministers have announced a new rule for all new public buildings which will see them required to have separate male and female toilets.
The change agreed by ministers last month will apply to the likes of hospitals, schools, public offices and entertainment buildings. New buildings will be allowed to have gender neutral toilets, but only if they also provide single-sex toilets on the premises.
The Government said that the new measures, which will be made through changes to building regulations, will not affect rules on disabled toilets, The Mirror reports. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said of the move: “The rise in ‘gender neutral’ toilets raised safety concerns from women who feel they are losing privacy and being unfairly disadvantaged.
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“The approach will mean women, who may need to use facilities more often for example because of pregnancy and sanitary needs, have appropriate facilities.” But the new rule has been criticised by some campaigners who say that gender neutral toilets are a vital resource for trans and non-binary people to help avoid discrimination and abuse.
Minister for Equalities Kemi Badenoch described the move as a “common sense approach”, saying: “It is vital that women feel safe and comfortable when using public facilities, and that their needs are respected.
“These changes will ensure that separate toilets for men and women are preserved at the same time as providing universal toilets for those that want them,” Badenoch added.
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