Girl pupils lef t ‘humiliated’ by gender neutral loos in schools

Creeping rise of kids’ unisex toilets

A RISE in gender-neutral toilets across Scotland’s schools is creating a ‘humiliating environment’ for children, particularly girls, it has been claimed.

More than a third of councils now have unisex toilet facilities in schools, sparking concerns from parents’ groups that many youngsters are ‘anxious’ about using them.

Some schools only provide genderneutral toilets.

According to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, 13 out of Scotland’s 32 council areas have gender-neutral toilet facilities, and many new-builds are set to adopt similar provisions.

A spokesman for campaign group For Women Scotland said: ‘As long as schools are meeting the minimum number of single-sex toilets for the size of the school roll, it’s great if additional individual rooms can be added for those who don’t feel comfortable using the singlesex facilities.

‘But any school that has mixed-sex toilets, either by design or via trans guidance, is at serious risk of failing to prevent an intimidating or humiliating environment for pupils that violates their dignity, especially that of girls.

‘We have heard some horrific accounts: girls not drinking so as to avoid using the facilities and being shamed when menstruating. Some schools with shared toilets have seen such an increase in sexist behaviour and bullying that they are installing cameras in the toilets.’

Out of its 81 schools, Argyll and Bute Council has mixedsex toilets in 37 – 29 of them primaries.

Three schools in Perth and Kinross have only genderneutral toilets, and West Lothian and East Dunbarton shire each have 19 schools with mixed-sex toilet facilities. Highland Council said its toilet block designs in new-build schools ‘allow flexibility’.

A spokesman for Highland Parents Group said: ‘Mixed-sex toilets are being implemented throughout Highland schools. Sinks are in an open area which is visible from the corridor, with enclosed cubicles.

‘The choice of male and female toilets has been removed from many schools. In schools where these [unisex toilets] have been introduced it has led to problems with children who do not feel comfortable going to the toilet with the opposite sex present. Some children feel anxious using these facilities.’

A Highland Council spokesman said: ‘We do not propose to change the provision of toilets from single-sex to only genderneutral toilets in any of our schools. All toilet partitions and doors are full height and fully enclosed for improved security and privacy for pupils.

‘It is widely considered this model can contribute to positive pupil behaviour, reduce the potential for vandalism and be less intimidating for pupils.’

Greg Bremner, of East Dunbartonshire Council, said: ‘All gender-neutral toilets afford absolute privacy to those using them.’

Earlier this month, Aiden O’Neill, QC, gave For Women Scotland legal advice which sets out that schools are obliged to provide single-sex toilet facilities for pupils.

‘Some children feel anxious’