25 signatures reached
To: Anneliese Dodds
Don’t let the Tories take gender-neutral toilets
Please dispute the government’s decision to insist new buildings have single sex rather than gender-neutral toilets.
They claim that women and older people feel disadvantaged by gender neutral spaces yet there is little evidence that cis women feel any threat from well-designed gender-neutral spaces which provide privacy and dignity to all. Trans people statistically pose substantially less threat to cis women than cis men do.
There is substantial evidence, however, that trans people feel excluded from and unsafe in public toilets where they are either forced to use the restroom designed for a gender they do not identify with - this can increase dysphoria and contribute to decreased mental health - or risk being victimised.
The rhetoric surrounding trans people is becoming more incendiary and this kind of legislation endangers the health and safety of the trans population.
We all have ‘gender neutral’ toilets in our homes, so why is it necessary for the government to impose this damaging legislation that will inevitably fuel divisive and dangerous narratives.
Surely this money and energy could be better purposed to ‘protect the safety of women and old people’ by tackling systemic misogyny throughout society, improving community care, the legal system, policing, education, etc etc
Please help us to campaign to keep gender neutral toilets, these are lifelines to an already marginalised community.
They claim that women and older people feel disadvantaged by gender neutral spaces yet there is little evidence that cis women feel any threat from well-designed gender-neutral spaces which provide privacy and dignity to all. Trans people statistically pose substantially less threat to cis women than cis men do.
There is substantial evidence, however, that trans people feel excluded from and unsafe in public toilets where they are either forced to use the restroom designed for a gender they do not identify with - this can increase dysphoria and contribute to decreased mental health - or risk being victimised.
The rhetoric surrounding trans people is becoming more incendiary and this kind of legislation endangers the health and safety of the trans population.
We all have ‘gender neutral’ toilets in our homes, so why is it necessary for the government to impose this damaging legislation that will inevitably fuel divisive and dangerous narratives.
Surely this money and energy could be better purposed to ‘protect the safety of women and old people’ by tackling systemic misogyny throughout society, improving community care, the legal system, policing, education, etc etc
Please help us to campaign to keep gender neutral toilets, these are lifelines to an already marginalised community.
Why is this important?
As mother to a young trans adult, I know personally the damage that anxiety, fear and a lack of provision causes - both physically when you have to plan every outing around where will have appropriate and safe restrooms, and emotionally, feeling othered when it comes to your basic needs.
Being able to access toilet facilities is a basic right.
The government seems intent on creating a false, and dangerous, narrative around the trans community. It is essential that we do not follow the terrifying route being seen in the US. I urge you to please stand up for trans people in this issue as it may otherwise be the beginning of a systematic denigration of rights.
Trans people and women’s rights are intersectional rather than in opposition.
Being able to access toilet facilities is a basic right.
The government seems intent on creating a false, and dangerous, narrative around the trans community. It is essential that we do not follow the terrifying route being seen in the US. I urge you to please stand up for trans people in this issue as it may otherwise be the beginning of a systematic denigration of rights.
Trans people and women’s rights are intersectional rather than in opposition.
