Star blasts Old Vic’s gender-neutral loos

WHEN the Old Vic Theatre decided to make its newly-renovated toilets ‘gender-neutral’, it was panned by the critics.

Women lined up to criticise the conversion, which had doubled the number of loos from 22 to 44.

Many were furious because – although there are more toilets – men are allowed access to all of them.

Now actress Frances Barber, 62, has waded into the debate by comparing the situation to the cause of the Suffragettes.

She tweeted: ‘Suffragettes threw themselves under race horses to get us the Vote. Now we aren’t even allowed to go to the loo.

‘If any woman is wearing a onesie how are men going to react to her totally undressing to wee in a urinal?’

The London theatre launched a fundraising drive last year following years of criticism from women patrons forced to queue for the loo.

The More Loos campaign was to raise funds towards doubling the loo provision available to women and therefore reduce queue times, the Old Vic said in a statement on its website. ‘ Through the building project the number of cubicles available to women situated in blocks that do not contain urinals has increased from 12 to 24 and, subsequently, queue times have been reduced.’

It continued: ‘At The Old Vic the most important thing to us is running a theatre that is welcoming and comfortable for those who visit us, and that is fundamentally opposed to prejudice or intimidation.

‘We are therefore incredibly appreciative of the wider comments on our new loos and have carefully listened to all viewpoints (before and since) to ensure that the right provision is offered.’

Theatre industry publication The Stage came under fire this week after it deleted two comment articles which shared opposing views about the introduction of the gender-neutral toilets. The publication said it decided to remove the articles from its website after they elicited ‘strong responses’.