AHN >>

Manchester University Implements Restroom Signs For Transgender People

September 28, 2008 2:59 p.m. EST

Amy Beeman - AHN

Manchester, England (AHN) -- The University of Manchester is trying something new in the name of political correctness, posting signs on the restroom doors that say "toilets with urinals," and "toilets."

The signs are simply stuck over the universal symbol of a male, with his pant legs and a female, with the traditional triangular dress. This way, they say, transgender people will be able to choose which restroom to use with out feeling obligated to comply to being a gender they do not identify with.

Transgender people live as the sex opposite from the one they were "assigned" at birth because of their genitalia. Often they have not undergone sex reassignment surgery, but dress and act in ways associated with their chosen sex.

The Manchester Evening News reported that students have mixed feelings about the trial run of the new signs. One was quoted saying it was "ridiculous," while another student supported the move out of compassion, saying that sometimes transgender people are met with violence or anger upon entering restrooms where biologically they do not comply with the sex the restroom was meant for.

This year in a Thai high school a bathroom specifically for transgender people was implemented, the first ever in a high school.

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The Daily Turnout - King of the Throne Room

BBC News >>

'De-gendered' toilets spark row

Page last updated at 20:07 GMT, Monday, 29 September 2008 21:07 UK

A row has broken out at the University of Manchester after its students' union toilets were "de-gendered".

Temporary signs have made the "ladies" simply "toilets", while the "gents" have become "toilets with urinals".

The changes are in response to an unspecified number of complaints from trans students who are uncomfortable using the men's toilets.

A university newspaper criticised the move but the student union said it was needed to tackle transphobia.

There are no figures on the number of transsexual and transgender students believed to be among the university's population of more than 35,000 students.

The students' union welfare office declined to reveal the number of complaints, but said it was an important issue.

Welfare officer Jennie Killip told the BBC: "If you were born female, still present quite feminine, but define as a man you should be able to go into the men's toilets - if that's how you define.

"You don't necessarily have had to have gender reassignment surgery, but you could just define yourself as a man, feel very masculine in yourself, feel that in fact being a woman is not who you are."

Asked about the change, some female students questioned the move.

One said: "Girls might not want to use the same toilets as boys, so then you just end up with people complaining about that - so you can't really win.

Another told the BBC: "I personally wouldn't want to be in the same toilet as a man."

The move prompted an editorial in campus newspaper Student Direct last week which criticised the new arrangements.

Newspaper spokeswoman Susannah Birkwood said: "The toilets have been provided for men who don't self identify as men and women who don't think of themselves as women.

"Whether or not this is political correctness gone mad.. because it certainly seems that way to some members of our student community."

Union officials have rejected the criticism and permanent signs for its first gender neutral toilets are being made.

Almost 60 people, including Ms Killip, have signed a letter to the student newspaper criticising the editorial.

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The Daily Turnout - King of the Throne Room

This article has been repeated on these websites:

Daily Telegraph >>

Manchester Evening News >>

Daily Mail >>

I've included these links so that you can read the comments and reply.

I posted this comment at the Daily Mail in response to the universal bigotry I found there:

Quote:

The law recognises two genders: male and female. You need a gender recognition certificate to have yours changed from one to the other. However, there is no law that forces men to use one facility and women to use another. Think about it: you wouldn't be able to take your young child of opposite gender to the loo with you, would you? Minorities: should we pander to them? The transgender community think so, but lets ask another: the Daily Mail readership, who account for approximately 4% of the population.

I'll be surprised if it gets past the moderators.

Do have a go yourselves.

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The Daily Turnout - King of the Throne Room

Student Direct >>

Flushing Transphobia Away

By Jennie Agg, Deputy Editor

Toilets were back on the agenda for Manchester students last Monday with the University of Manchester Students’ Union playing host to a debate on its new non-gender facilities.

Approximately 40 students turned up to ‘The Big Debate: Toilets and the Union’, which also gave students a chance to voice their opinions, although none of the panel speakers argued against the new toilets.

A media furor has surrounded the toilets since it surfaced in the national press that one set of toilets in the basement of the Steve Biko building had been de-gendered and traditional ‘male’ and ’female’ symbols replaced with temporary signs reading ‘toilets’ and ‘toilets with urinals’.

Dissenting voices amongst the student body have criticized the fact that students had not been consulted on the decision. Women’s Officer Jennie Killip spoke with dismay that objections to the toilets have manifested themselves in destructive ways, saying that, “signs have been ripped off these safe places.”

Challenging such transphobic attitudes was at the top of the agenda on Monday. First speaker Rebecca Dittman from The Gender Trust highlighted the history of transgender people “who have been in society for- forever really” and the problems which they face. “There is still bigotry, there is still hatred, but things are changing.”

Ruth Pearce, trans rep from the NUS Women’s Committee, emphasized that non-gender toilets would not pose a threat to the other toilet users. “We’re not a threat to women – trans people are a bit like spiders. They’re more scared of you than you are of them.”

Misrepresentations of the facts in the media were also criticized, as some reports assumed all Union toilets would become non-gender. “There are and always will remain gender toilets for those w ho prefer to use them,” assured Natalie Heppenstall from the University of Manchester’s LGBT Society.

Heppenstall was also keen to stress that these were not uniquely “trans toilets” as has been misconstrued in the media, citing the benefits for students with children and disabled students with care-assistants of the opposite sex.

Also, added Pearce, “We’ve now got an extra toilet if there is a queue.”

National press were banned from the event and a BBC film crew from The One Show were informed that they would be denied access to the Union.

One Response to “Flushing Transphobia Away”

Joseph Heller Says:
October 29th, 2008 at 11:52 am

The problem with the entire ‘toiletgate’ issue is that a nominally well meaning idea has actually reinforced prejudices and stereotypes of trans people due to naive media management and inadequate communication with students. The Trans community needs positive help; this has been anything but.

But still the debate rumbles on. Despite the vast coverage the issue has received it seems that the even the Womens Officer and her committee struggle to agree on who can use these facilities and what they are hoping to achieve with the changes. If they cannot agree then I dread to think what the ordinary members of the public think.

Meanwhile Jennie Killip is quick to associate the fact that “signs have been ripped off these safe places” as evidence of transphobia in the student population. Alas, a more prosaic explanation presents itself - the signs remain poorly laminated sheets of A4 stuck over the original sign. They probably fell off when a student desperate for the toilet struggled to identify which facility they could use.

Keep fighting for trans rights but please chose positive methods rather than damaging attempts at headline grabbing.

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The Daily Turnout - King of the Throne Room