Confusion over 'gender neutral' toilets in Northampton park

A 'gender neutral' sign has gone up above the former ladies toilet in Abington Park, near the bandstand, sparking worry among some women over privacy and religious reasons.

Northampton Borough Council have said the measures were taken to turn the former ladies toilets into a gender neutral toilet due to the pandemic.

A spokesman for the council said: “We reopened the women’s toilets only, as gender neutral provision, in response to changes in Government guidance and the fact that people were using the park and surrounding area as a public toilet.

“Opening just the one toilet last weekend was the only practical temporary option in terms of regular cleansing and management of social distancing.

“This was done in good faith while we carried out work to ensure additional provision was made elsewhere in the park, which will be in place from the coming weekend.”

One woman, who does not wish to be named, said she found it a daunting prospect to use the mixed-sex toilets as there can often be large groups of young men who gather in the park.

She said: "Women generally take longer to visit the toilet more frequently and take longer than men due to their biology - pregnancy, post-childbirth incontinence, menstruation - and social reasons such as caring for children and elderly relatives. It makes sense that women should have greater toilet provision, not less.

"There is also reduced privacy with gaps at the top and bottom of the cubicles, which is very easy for a camera phone to be put over or under. It is well documented that incidents of sexual assault and voyeurism increase in mixed-sex toilets.

"Northampton has a diverse population and there will be a significant number of women and girls who will be unable to use facilities where men might be present, due to religious and cultural reasons."

Another concerned Chronicle & Echo reader has questioned the need to reduce the amount of toilet space during the pandemic and argues that it's making social distancing in a public place worse.

She said a gender neutral toilet could be in place elsewhere but not instead of the ladies toilets. "At the end of the day, women are 50 per cent of the population and I'm sick of having our rights eroded," she added. "Why can't I go for a wee without a bloke in there? I don't want to take my daughter in there. It's not fair for young girls to have to give up their spaces."