FEATURE WASHROOMS
INCLUSIVE CONVENIENCES
Richard Braid, MD of Cistermiser looks at ways of balancing inclusivity and practicality when
considering gender-neutral washrooms in workplaces and public areas
We live in a world that is becoming
increasingly inclusive and more aware of
the specific and unique needs of the individuals
within our society. One of the topics that has
been much discussed is that of gender-neutral
toilets and the value that they have, particularly
for those who identify as non-binary.
Members of the LGBTQ(IA)+ community o en
feel discriminated against through the lack of
gender-neutral facilities available. According to
the Stonewall LGBT in Britain report, Trans Report
2018, 48 per cent of Trans people say that they do
not feel comfortable using public toilets due to fear
of discrimination or harassment. This is why the
provision of these non-gendered facilities are an
important way of helping them feel included and
acknowledged. It may seem like a small thing but
being able to use a public washroom that doesn’t
label based on gender is important for the mental
and physical wellbeing of so many.
There will be, for the majority of us, no further
thought when needing to use a public toilet beyond,
“I hope it’s open” and “I hope there’s loo roll”. The
process is simple: find a loo, use the loo, leave. Yet
for many, that process can be much more complex
and includes considerations that can have a
substantial impact on an individual’s mental health,
such as, “Can I use the bathroom without being
misgendered?” When members of the LGBTQ(IA)+
community are already facing major discrimination
in their daily lives, using the bathroom does not
need to be a contributing factor.
Large public spaces, such as shopping malls
and public transport hubs are prime examples of
34 JUNE 2021
where gender-neutral washrooms are crucial. With
so many people transiting through these spaces,
having facilities that are inclusive is important, not
only for members of the LGBTQ(IA)+ community, but
for parents with children and those with physical
needs beyond those of the able-bodied public.
Changing spaces are o en gender-neutral and larger
than standard toilet cubicles. This o ers those who
need to use the space the room and privacy.
FINDING BALANCE
Within this environment, it is however important to
acknowledge the importance of gendered toilets in
these larger public spaces. Cistermiser submitted
evidence as part of the Government’s 2020 public
consultation on male and female public washrooms.
The consultation raised many legitimate concerns
about the e ects this consultation could have on
trans rights, but we feel that it is equally important
to acknowledge that there are members of our
society that do not feel safe or comfortable using
shared facilities and it is important that, when out
in public, they too feel they can use a washroom
safely.
TIME CRUNCH
A study by Luc Bovens and Alexandro Marcoci in
the Cambridge Behavioural Public Policy Journal
revealed that ‘gender-neutral bathrooms reduce
average waiting times’. The report found that
evidence suggests that gender-neutral toilets
appropriately fulfil this function and should be
considered as part of any future policy.
Another consideration that must be made from
converting gender specific washrooms into genderneutral
public washrooms is the di ering amounts
of time that men and woman need to be in the
space. Woman only use cubicles whereas men are
able to use urinals. In order for a washroom to be
entirely gender neutral, urinals would need to be
removed and that would instantly decrease the
number of men who could use the facilities at any
given time.
Public events, such as theatre shows and football
matches, have a specific amount of time allocated
for half time and intervals. When hundreds or
thousands of people need to use the facilities all
at once, having separate washrooms for men and
woman is much more e icient. A standard 2,400mm
wide urinal trough can cater up to 180 men in 15
minutes but if they were required to use a WC,
those 15 minutes would only see 15 men using the
facilities. If you just think for a moment how many
guys there are at a Premier football game (we’re
not excluding the ladies, it’s just that the type of
facilities they use wouldn’t change), the 15-minute
half time wouldn’t be nearly long for all of them to
go to the bathroom.
SOLUTIONS
The question then needs to be asked of the councils
and those providing washrooms on a commercial
scale, “How are you going to provide facilities
that are inclusive and sensitive to the needs of
everyone in the community whilst being e icient
and hygienic?” We believe it is possible through the
strategic installation of touch-free solutions that can
be installed in either gendered or gender-neutral
washrooms.
In light of the necessary hygiene considerations
post-COVID, men are able to use facilities with
minimal touchpoints which in turn improves the
overall hygiene of male washrooms. By installing
infrared urinal sensors, contact points for men
are cut from 11 to two. Hygiene, and specifically
the slowing of COVID-19 spread, can be managed
in public washrooms without having to resort to
closing them completely, a solution we have sadly
seen many councils resort to during the lockdown.
Cistermiser’s IRC® infrared urinal controls, the
motion-activated Easyflush Wave for WCs and the
hands-free deck-mounted basin tap are solutions
that we’ve found that allow everyone to use
public washrooms in a safe and hygienic way, and
Cistermiser is looking forward to seeing these types
of technologies increasing the level of inclusivity in
public and commercial washrooms.