Most people can stall their hunger or thirst for a while, but some people find their bladder and bowels are more demanding. Access to clean usable public toilets are essential for everyone, but their designs are often lacking.
Joe Manton writes about the issues of gender inclusive toilets in the Spring 2024 issue of Access Insight.
A previous post discussed the assumptions underpinning the assignment of gender neutral toilets. Manton provides a more detailed perspective using the lived experience of people. Here is a sample of the topics covered.
Toilet anxiety and security
Public toilet anxiety can arise for different reasons. For some it is a phobia about being able to use the toilet or being too far from one. For others it’s a fear of having an accident in public, other people hearing you, cleanliness, or sharing a space with others.
Gender diversity
People who are gender diverse often lack access to a safe public toilet. They can be ridiculed, abused, threatened or assaulted if they use single gendered toilets. Consequently, something as basic as going to the toilet can cause increased levels of anxiety and depression.
When forced to use all gender toilets, women feel unsafe, and men feel constrained in their interactions with women in this public space. Social and cultural perspectives also impact the way people feel about using public toilets.
Toilet wait times
The USA Potty Parity movement says that in busy facilties, women can wait up to 34 times longer than men. They also have to spend more time than men. Time to remove clothing, and at times, deal with feminine hygiene, see to children or help an older relative.
What the standards say
The current status of the National Construction Code includes mandated requirements for sanitary facilities. Depending on the building classification it includes, male, female, ambulant male, ambulant female, unisex accessible, and accessible adult change facilities.
There is no mandated requirement for all gender toilets, baby change areas, and assistance animal relief areas.
Manton argues that there is convincing evidence to retain separate male and female toilets. Being trans or non-binary is not a disability and some feel uncomfortable about using an accessible toilet. It also signals to others that their identity is in some way a disabling condition. In a way, it is, because without suitable facilities they are disabled by design.
Unisex accessible toilets
The number of unisex accessible toilets in buildings according to the Construction Code is based on disability. It does not account for the number of other people who need to use this facility. Often a baby change table is installed, so parents with prams and small children also use them.
Manton provides detailed information in the article about standards and discusses all gender toilets in detail. She also covers toilet design considerations and proposed amendments to the Construction Code.
The title of the article is, It’s a Right to go to the toilet – Not a Privilege. This is an update to the previous article in 2021 All gender toilets: We just want to go to the toilet.
See also the excellent discussion by Nicole Kalms and Laura McVey in Commentary on Let Us Pee.
They argue “the proposed legislative changes for the provision of ‘all gender’, ‘gender-neutral’ or ‘unisex’ toilets operate under an incorrect assumption that gender neutrality will lead to greater inclusion”.