Gender neutral lavatories on trains

[neonison]

https://www.indy100.com/article/sur...out-the-8348611?amp&__twitter_impression=true

Newsflash! 55 per cent of Brits are probably unaware that they're using gender neutral toilets every day - at home.

A gender neutral toilet is a toilet that can be used by anyone, regardless of their sex.

They provide a safe space for those who don't identify with either the male or female binary - about 650,000 people in the UK...

IIRC the Blue Pullman sets had separate lavatories. Are there other examples?

 

[Spartacus]

It would be easy to point out to the writer of the article that normally you’re only likely to have other members of your family using your loo at home, or at the very least people you know and are happy to have in your home. I know many women who won’t use train toilets unless absolutely nesessary.

Anyway.... I can’t think of anything else built with individual loos, though I’ve encountered Mk1 loos that have become that way in preservation. It makes sense when the open ones usually have toilets opposite each other in the end vestibule.

 

[ainsworth74]

IIRC the Blue Pullman sets had separate lavatories. Are there other examples?

Mk3 Sleeper vehicles have separate toilets. Though, er, I didn't realise until it was pointed out to me as I just assumed, like all other train toilets I'd encountered until that point, that they were unisex.

 

[59CosG95]

Mk3 Sleeper vehicles have separate toilets. Though, er, I didn't realise until it was pointed out to me as I just assumed, like all other train toilets I'd encountered until that point, that they were unisex.

The Disabled Sleeper Toilets are unisex I believe, but the "traditional" ones still have the separate cubicles.

 

[LowLevel]

Mk3 Sleeper vehicles have separate toilets. Though, er, I didn't realise until it was pointed out to me as I just assumed, like all other train toilets I'd encountered until that point, that they were unisex.

You and me both!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

It would be easy to point out to the writer of the article that normally you’re only likely to have other members of your family using your loo at home, or at the very least people you know and are happy to have in your home. I know many women who won’t use train toilets unless absolutely nesessary.

Anyway.... I can’t think of anything else built with individual loos, though I’ve encountered Mk1 loos that have become that way in preservation. It makes sense when the open ones usually have toilets opposite each other in the end vestibule.

I know many males who won't use train toilets unless absolutely necessary... in fact, doesn't everyone only ever use a toilet when they need to (or know they will need to)?

 

[Spartacus]

I know many males who won't use train toilets unless absolutely necessary... in fact, doesn't everyone only ever use a toilet when they need to (or know they will need to)?

Ah, there's a difference between between 'when necessary' and 'when absolutely necessary' though, the first is when delay would only lead to an (increasingly) uncomfortable feeling, the second is if delay would result in you needing to purchase new clothing

 

[jon0844]

I know many males who won't use train toilets unless absolutely necessary... in fact, doesn't everyone only ever use a toilet when they need to (or know they will need to)?

Because I'm a 'regular' on the railway, I have no issue finding and using a toilet. I may go before arriving at my destination for convenience.

A lot of my family wouldn't use one unless it was a last resort. In fact, even if quite desperate I think many people would hold on if they can. There's a likely perception that they're going to be quite disgusting, and in many cases that proves to be true (which doesn't help).

Of late, I've seen many more train toilets locked out of use, which also doesn't inspire confidence. As such, saying to someone 'just go on the train' instead of rushing around at the station as the train is about to arrive isn't a good idea.

I know at Welwyn Garden City, work is starting on two new accessible toilets (gender neutral if you'd like to call it that for PR reasons), with a reduced capacity for the male toilets on platforms 3/4 to accommodate. An old toilet on platform 1/2 will be brought back into service that previously had plumbing issues.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Ah, there's a difference between between 'when necessary' and 'when absolutely necessary' though, the first is when delay would only lead to an (increasingly) uncomfortable feeling, the second is if delay would result in you needing to purchase new clothing

I'm well aware of that. My post was in response to the implication that females are inherently more delicate or sensitive, thus less willing to use a train toilet because it might have "boy-germs".

 

[Spartacus]

I'm well aware of that. My post was in response to the implication that females are inherently more delicate or sensitive, thus less willing to use a train toilet because it might have "boy-germs".

Was it? Sorry that I don't know any men who I know to have an aversion to using on-train toilets (or indeed anyone in between, of which I've known a few though all who work/worked in the rail industry), but I never for in stanstant thought it couldn't be the case, even less implied it.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Was it? Sorry that I don't know any men who I know to have an aversion to using on-train toilets (or indeed anyone in between, of which I've known a few though all who work/worked in the rail industry), but I never for in stanstant thought it couldn't be the case, even less implied it.

The implication was there, even if unintended. Things like obsessive-compulsive disorder are not gender-specific for example.

 

[Spartacus]

The implication was there, even if unintended. Things like obsessive-compulsive disorder are not gender-specific for example.

So only knowing women who would have a problem with going to the loo on a train somehow implies that I think that only women have a problem with it? You must assume that I have a rather closed mind not to be able to imagine that issues I haven't personally encountered don't actually exist. Everyone I've known from South Africa likes sport, does that imply I think all South Africans like sport? No. This thread is getting out of control, but I guess that's to be expected, sadly.

 

[WideRanger]

On Japanese Shinkansen trains, there are sit down toilets (marked with Male and Female symbols) and Urinals (marked with a male symbol) - normally there is one of each for each set of two carriages. The Urinal is normally in a tiny room (more like a cupboard). It's great because the number of effective toilets is doubled, with only a small increase in space used, and no water requirements for the urinal. And given the large number of slightly inebriated men one tends to find on a lot of the trains, there is less chance of the sit-down toilets getting 'wet' and unpleasant to use for anyone that wants/needs to sit down.

On some of the local routes with older trains, they still have squat toilets. Not quite so nice...

 

[Bletchleyite]

On some of the local routes with older trains, they still have squat toilets. Not quite so nice...

Bit awkward on a train, but as I've said here before if I was using a Trainspotting-style facility (and I pretty much have in India; when you get the inevitable Delhi belly anything vaguely resembling a bog will do) I'd much rather a "non-contact" squat than having to put my backside on it.

 

[MrCub]

HST toilets were always perfectly pleasant; no doubt Class 800 ones will be regarded as awful.

I worked somewhere where there were no 'gender specific' toilets, merely ones for use by 'everyone'. I don't remember there being a single problem at all.

 

[Starmill]

Mk3 Sleeper vehicles have separate toilets. Though, er, I didn't realise until it was pointed out to me as I just assumed, like all other train toilets I'd encountered until that point, that they were unisex.

You and me both!

Me too!!

However, I did notice that some of them don't have their stickers any more. Whether this is due to their re-designation as neutral or just because the signs fall off, I could not say.

 

[Royston Vasey]

I may be completely making this up, but I could have sworn that at least when first refurbished, Grand Central labelled alternate toilets in their Mk 3s Male and Female. They certainly used the traditional men's toilet symbol as can be seen here:

Click for high resolution - source Wikimedia Commons/Peter Skuce

Definite male symbol:

And possibly a female symbol?

 

[LOL The Irony]

Most trains in Northern land have only one toilet. The 185's have 2!

 

[D6975]

Nearly 20 years ago I did Dublin-Rosslare and back on the ‘Sea Breeze’ steam ex. The buffet car had a urinal, the only time I’ve seen one on a train.

 

[ainsworth74]

This thread is now locked for further replies due the massive amount of off-topic conversation that was taking place. This thread posed a simple question:

IIRC the Blue Pullman sets had separate lavatories. Are there other examples?

And yet we have had approaching one hundred posts that were far away from that topic. The issue of gender identity and the discrimination that people face is a serious topic and one worth discussing but we have had several threads on the subject recently (two examples here and here) which were both in the appropriate sub-forum for that sort of wider ranging discussion rather than in the middles of a thread on another topic.

I appreciate that people will not want to leave views that they disagree with unchallenged (particularly on such an emotive topic as this and/or where the views are extremely hurtful) but we do ask that people report problem posts rather than replying to them. That can mean posts which are off-topic and should be in another thread or posts which breach our Forum Rules or posts which you're not sure about but would like to bring to our attention. I'd like to thank those that reported posts in this thread as it did make it easier for us to see what was going on. I'd also just like to mention that when you reply to a post rather than reporting it, it also makes considerably more work for us to then deal with a thread and get it back on course (which can also mean that it delays our ability to respond properly).

If anyone does wish to discuss the topic of gender identity, trans-phobia or any associated topics they are welcome to do in a new thread in General Discussion.

If anyone has anything they wish to add to the topic of this thread then please report this post and the Staff Team will give consideration to re-opening the thread for further replies.

I hope everyone can appreciate and understand the above but if you do want any further clarification you can either start a Conversation (PM) with me or use the Contact Us function.

Thanks,
ainsworth74