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Unisex public toilets (also referred to as gender-inclusive, gender-neutral, mixed-sex or all-gender, or without any prefix at all) are public toilets that are not separated by gender or sex.
Unisex public toilets take different forms. They may be single occupancy facilities where only one single room or enclosure is provided, or multi-user facilities which are open to all and where users may either share sinks in an open area or each have their own sink in their private cubicle, stall or room. Unisex public toilets may either replace single-sex toilets or may be an addition to single-sex toilets.
Unisex public toilets can be used by people of any sex or gender identity. Such toilet facilities can benefit transgender populations and people outside of the gender binary, and can reduce bathroom queues through more balanced occupation. Sex separation in public toilets (also called sex segregation), as opposed to unisex toilets, is the separation of public toilets into male and female. This separation is sometimes enforced by local laws and building codes. Key differences between male and female public toilets in most Western countries include the presence of urinals for men and boys, and sanitary bins for the disposal of menstrual hygiene products for women and girls. Sanitary bins may easily be included in the setup of unisex public toilets.
The historical purposes of sex-separated toilets in the United States and Europe, as well as the timing of their appearance, are disputed amongst scholars. Safety from sexual harassment, and privacy, were likely two main goals of sex-separation of public toilets, and factors such as morality also played roles.[1]: 228, 278, 288–89 Paternalism and resistance to women entering the workplace may have also played a role.[2] Some women's groups hold that unisex public toilets will be less safe for women than public toilets that are separated by sex; however, some experts say that with the appropriate design interventions, these spaces can improve the safety of all users and reduce the disproportionately long wait times females face in sex-separated public washrooms.[3][4]
The push for gender-neutral bathrooms is driven at least in part by the transgender community to protect against harassment and violence against this population.[5] Unisex public toilets may benefit a range of people with or without special needs (e.g. people with disabilities, the elderly, and anyone who needs the help of someone of another gender or sex), as well as parents who need to help their infant or young child with using the toilet.
- ^ Carter, W. Burlette (2018). "Sexism in the 'Bathroom Debates': How Bathrooms Really Became Separated By Sex". Yale Law & Policy Review. 37 (1): 227–297. SSRN 3311184.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Koganwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Nooit meer file aan het damestoilet". EOS Wetenschap (in Dutch). Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "What can restroom wait times tell us about gender inequity? | Faculty Research Profiles | Rotman School of Management - Rotman School of Management". www.rotman.utoronto.ca. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "Trans Rights and Bathroom Access Laws: A History Explained". Teaching Tolerance. October 16, 2018. Retrieved March 30, 2020.