When Inclusion Meets Practicality, The Unisex Bathrooms Debate in SA
The conversation surrounding the increase of the unisex/ gender neutral public bathrooms have sparked mixed emotions. The intention to utilise public bathrooms for all genders is meant for inclusion and accessibility. However, the tension arises because bathrooms have become shared spaces but it's also a space where individuals require privacy.
When inclusivity is being considered and public spaces like restrooms are designed, do the planners take into consideration things like privacy, hygiene, comfort and safety? And most importantly, do they take into consideration the individuals who still prefer using the old way of public facilities and are uncomfortable sharing these spaces? Hygiene is amongst the top concerns of many people like waste disposal, cleanliness of the gender neutral bathrooms. The concerns arise as society is being urged to be more accepting of new norms to create a more progressive and inclusive society.
Public restrooms have been considered an intimate space for a long time.Designing the areas has to be taken into consideration like the use of enclosed cubicles, doors or gaps. While “unisex” is used as an inclusive term, privacy has to be implemented on the design features. Just because these public restrooms have been labeled “inclusive” it does not guarantee comfort, the structural designs have to support it. The question then is can well-designed unisex bathrooms provide the same level of comfort like traditional bathrooms?
4 Practical Solutions For Inclusive Restrooms
A middle ground to eliminate these public concerns is by designing fully enclosed individual cubicles with shared handwashing sinks.
While creating gender-neutral bathrooms the conventional facilities should be provided alongside.
Family and private restrooms for those who prefer ultimate privacy.
Hygiene and cleaning should be a priority to provide healthy access for every individual who wishes to access the facility.
Perhaps future discussions shouldn’t be centred on choosing between inclusion and privacy but asking whether the society is capable of designing public facilities that accommodates all genders while meeting hygiene standards and providing safety.
Inclusion vs Practicality
The public discourse however, does not eliminate practical benefits of the gender neutral facilities. They can provide accessibility in facilities that are within reach for every individual. People who don’t specifically identify with the societal gender norms will find this alternative more comfortable and practical, especially on matters concerning safety. This will result in public facilities being flexible instead of catering for a specific demographic. However, the question still remains, do inclusive public bathrooms require eliminating gender separated options for those who don't have these dynamics comfortably? This challenges the notion that a solution created to serve others will be beneficial to the entire society.
Where Does Women’s Comfort Fit?
In other instances when we think of inclusivity we cannot dismiss concerns raised by women. Women cannot be thought of as a monolith, because they experience comfort at different levels. When it's that time of the month and it's time to change the sanitary products, women expect general privacy that can only be understood by their gender. Pregnancy is another factor which requires privacy. Being uncomfortable in certain situations isn’t necessarily about prejudice but a call for nature when women are most vulnerable and require absolute privacy. Public facilities can be used and be inclusive without dismissing women's comfort and privacy.
The Importance of Hygiene Management
Hygiene is not an issue that can be blamed on genders, it can be an issue of the facility management and infrastructure. These are some of the things that need to be considered when creating gender neutral public facilities:
Waste disposal
Handwashing facilities
Sanitary-waste disposal
Cleaning frequently
Ventilation and physical layout
Is the number of bathrooms provided enough for shared use?
The success of unisex bathrooms should not be measured on who they accommodate but by the standards they uphold. How these facilities are built should be in a way that individuals are able to feel safe while using them. Hygiene is an important aspect because it tackles multiple issues that concern mothers and women on their periods who need clean spaces. Hygienic care does not stop there but by making sure there is multiple waste disposal per day to make the space manageable for everybody.
While gender neutral facilities provide easy access and safety for those who identify with different gender norms a room for those uncomfortable with these suggestions can be considered by creating private restrooms alongside the gender neutral ones. This public discourse will take time to settle because of different opinions and while you agree with the other you also can’t dismiss the concerns of others.
