The practicalities of combining male and female toilets may not be all that easy. Image: Bart Maguire/Flickr
If I were to tell you that the Student Union was contemplating introducing unisex toilets in order not to discriminate against students of “particular sexualities or gender identity,” I’m sure for many the phrase “a little too PC” might spring to mind.
After all, the vast majority of people have absolutely no problem with separate toilets for men and women.
In fact, wouldn’t the vast majority of people have a much bigger problem with unisex toilets? That would be absolutely disgusting, wouldn’t it? Isn’t that the real issue here?
No, to answer rhetorical me, that heteronormative line of questioning is entirely missing the point. The problem isn’t discrimination in the drastic sense, but it’s a more subtle, everyday kind of discrimination that reminds you every day that you’re different, but most of all unwelcome in society.
For the purposes of this article, imagine you’re a woman. You like being a woman, you see women as the driving force of good in the world. You feel at home with a somewhat misty-eyed view of femininity.
You whole-heartedly embrace everything various corners of society tell you is great about being a woman: flirting with guys, shopping, Bridget Jones, being in touch with your feelings, et cetera.
Now imagine that you, as a woman, have a penis. This is the central difference between gender and sex: the former is what society tells you – a role you play every day, while the latter is a biological certainty.
And whether hypothetical-woman-you is a transgendered woman or a hermaphrodite, the pain of not knowing where to belong is very real in everyday life.
The idea of separate toilets becomes even more flimsy when you take into consideration on what basis they were created: a vague, prudish Victorian notion of “appropriateness” lies at the heart of the matter.
While this appropriateness is clearly tied to old-fashioned fears of overt sexuality, the existence and acceptance of homosexuality makes this a moot point.
Who’s to decide what’s appropriate in an age where we’ve come to terms with the fact that human sexuality isn’t black and white?
Should gay men share toilets with women, so that no unwanted contact occurs? Who would be able to tell? The entire notion of sex-appropriate toilets is in itself ludicrous.
So does this mean we should introduce unisex toilets? Due to the practicalities of security, probably not.
Rape is still a big issue in our society, especially with nightclubs serving copious amounts of alcohol. No amount of pre-emptive education will be able to prevent it happening with a 100 per cent certainty.
But this doesn’t mean gender and sexuality issues should just be ignored.
In an ideal world, nobody would mind a person dressed as a woman using a urinal amongst men, or a gay man flirting with another in the toilet. Homophobia and transphobia would not exist, and make the whole discussion about unisex toilets pointless.
But unfortunately, reality bites hard for some, and the most we as a society can do is change this by accepting and embracing sexual minorities.
Hopefully, this debate about unisex toilets will raise awareness and make society more open to those who would otherwise have no door to walk through when nature calls.