Kemi Badenoch to unveil tighter rules on gender neutral toilets which ‘deny privacy and dignity’
NEW public buildings will be forced to have alternatives to gender-neutral toilets, Kemi Badenoch is to announce today.
The Equalities Minister will unveil tighter rules to ensure properties such as restaurants, offices and shopping malls have single-sex loos.
If there is not enough space, a self-enclosed cubicle for all must be provided.
The legal move follows a government poll that said four in five Brits want single-sex loos.
Women, the elderly and disabled were notably unhappy at having to use gender-neutral ones.
Ms Badenoch said: “These regulations will guide organisations to design unisex and single-sex toilets, ending the rise of so-called ‘gender-neutral’ mixed sex toilet spaces, which deny privacy and dignity to both men and women.
“Today’s announcement will also create better provision for women so that our particular biological, health and sanitary needs are met.”
Under the building regulations tightening, where there is not enough space for single-sex toilets then a self-enclosed cubicle must be provided.
The exemptions are residential homes, prisons and schools, which already have single-sex requirements for boys and girls.
It follows an announcement last week that paves the way for single-sex wards in NHS hospitals.
This week Badenoch also confirmed that Rishi Sunak is safe despite plotters creating a “lot of noise” about a change of leadership after heavy poll losses.
When asked if the PM was safe even if the Tories suffer a defeat, Ms Badenoch said: “I think that’s right.”
She added: “There’s a lot of noise being made by people who want to get attention but the Prime Minister has the full backing of the Cabinet, he has my full backing.”