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Unisex Toilets, links from Peter Myers

(1) Unisex Toilets pit Women vs Gays(2) Many Universities move to Unisex Toilets, but Somerville College (Oxford) rejects them(3) London Mayor unveils plans for Unisex toilets; Trans reject having Male & Female too(4) Unisex toilets for London may remove one of the few "safe spaces" for Women(5) & (6) London Tube scraps 'ladies and gentlemen' to make announcements 'non-binary'(7) New York subway scraps 'ladies and gentleman', to make announcements Trans-friendly(8) France’s highest court refuses to recognise 'neutral gender' as a category(9) Christians should pray for Prince George to be gay, says minister(10) Attorney General Jeff Sessions backs Religious exemptions over Gay Marriage(11) Parents' fury at school opening UNISEX toilets(12) Cash-strapped NHS splashes out on more than 100 ‘gender neutral’ toilets in Hospitals(13) Soros-supported groups are behind the push for Gay Marriage & Unisex public Bathrooms(14) The Economist recommends: make more toilets Unisex(15) The Economist: British schools are adapting to growing numbers of transgender pupils(16) Woman murdered in a Unisex toilet in Gangnam, Soeul - The Economist(17) Most Men Avoid Unisex Bathrooms(1) Unisex Toilets pit Women vs Gays- Peter Myers, December 2, 2017Schools, universities, hospitals and cities are installing more Unisex toilets. The issue in all cases whether the Unisex cubicles are an addition to, or a replacement of, separate Male and Female toilets.The article from the London Evening Standard (item 3 below) says, "The proposal of individual cubicles alongside separate men’s and women’s toilets has also divided the trans-community with many saying they don’t wish to be singled out."What this means is that they reject having Mens and Womens toilets in addition to Unisex cubicles; they want ONLY Unisex ones.Where they replace separate Male and Female toilets, Unisex toilets pose serious risk to women from predatory men. As a result, I belive that women will come to loathe them, while most men will continue to avoid them if possible. After some years, this will lead to public repudiation of the Trans / Gay movement, and restoration of separated toilets. But what a waste of money, and damage to lives led astray by this movement.There is considerable pressure from the Far Left, but also from their Big Business allies in the Soros-Rothschild (The Economist) camp, to switch to Unisex Toilets. So the vote by Somerville College, at Oxford, to reject them, could be an important milestone.Their reason is the safety of Women and Girls; so this issue can be seen as a contest between the Gay and Feminist movements. Germaine Greer is the most prominent Feminist critic of the Trans movement; more women are likely to rally to her position over time, especially if there attacks at Unisex toilets.(2) Many Universities move to Unisex Toilets, but Somerville College (Oxford) rejects themhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2017/11/27/oxford-college-votes-calls-gender-neutral-toilets-amid-fears/Oxford college votes down calls for gender neutral toilets amid fears it will make students feel 'uncomfortable'Harry Yorke, online education editor27 NOVEMBER 2017An Oxford University college has made a stand against gender neutral toilets and refused to introduce them over fears it will make women feel uncomfortable.Students at Somerville College last week voted down a motion to make college lavatories unisex, with some voicing concerns that it could result in more cases of female "harassment" by male peers.Others suggested that both male and female students would feel "awkward" having to share a toilet with the opposite sex, and that some may have had "uncomfortable encounters" with the "other gender".The decision came after the college’s LGBTQ officer, Eilidh Wilson, proposed replacing 'male' and 'female' toilet signs with 'gender neutral toilet' and 'gender neutral toilet with urinals'.Ms Wilson, a second year PPE student, added that Somerville should recognise "non-binary people" by introducing unisex toilets in the college bar, dining hall and the Vaughan building.The proposal follows a number of policy changes at Oxford in recent months, which include the decision by St Catherine's to introduce gender neutral toilets.Campaigns to de-gender toilets have also been successful at the Universities of Lancaster, Hull, Northampton and St Andrew's.Oxford's Student Union has also taken steps to make the university more ‘trans-friendly", with sabbatical officers last year urging students to use gender neutral pronouns such as a "ze" to prevent transgender students from feeling discriminated against.However, students at Somerville have resisted the calls for change, with some challenging the proposal on the grounds that it was motivated out of "principle" rather than "practicality".In minutes seen by The Daily Telegraph, one student at the meeting claimed that introducing gender neutral toilets would be "overlooking the practicalities, just for the point that we want to make non-binary people feel more accepted"."There will be a lot of girls that feel uncomfortable with men being able to come into the toilet," they added.Another student said that they feared that introducing gender neutral toilets would lead to more cases of women being harassed."Many women have had experiences of harassment and would feel uncomfortable with this, probably a higher percentage of people than those who want a gender neutral toilet," they continued. "[The] harassment issue would affect more people."Their concerns come on the back of an alarming spike in "harassing and intimidating behaviour" towards female students at the college in 2015.The spike in incidents prompted the college principal Alice Prochaska to issue warnings to students about reported groping at parties, sexual innuendo and jokes made about rape.Several students said they were concerned about the vote being made public, amid fears that those who voted against it would be seen as "transphobic" and their peers would "judge them".Calling for a secret ballot, one said: "I think it’s very easy in a public ballot for genuine concerns to be misinterpreted as being transphobic. Issue might be with the implementation rather than the principle of the motion."However, when challenged, Ms Wilson is reported to have told one student that their suggestion that gender neutral toilets would make men feel uncomfortable "edges on being heteronormative".Another student in favour of making toilets gender neutral claimed that holding a secret vote "might facilitate transphobic views being voiced".However, their request for a public ballot was overruled and the motion was narrowly defeated by  31 votes to 29.Somerville’s decision to reject gender neutral toilets is believed to be the first instance where students have voted down calls for more "inclusive" policies.It comes less than a month after Magdalen and Wadham announced they would appoint two ‘trans officers’, dedicated to representing the university’s growing transgender community.Founded in 1879 as one of Oxford’s first women’s only colleges, Somerville’s alumni include Margaret Thatcher and Dorothy Hodgkin, the first British woman to win a Nobel prize in science.Considered one of the university’s most "right-on" colleges, Somerville claims on its website to have been founded to "include the excluded".Its mission statement adds that it was created "for women when universities refused them entry, and for people of diverse beliefs when the establishment religion was widely demanded."(3) London Mayor unveils plans for Unisex toilets; Trans reject having Male & Female toohttps://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/mayor-unveils-plans-for-gender-neutral-public-toilets-in-london-a3703726.htmlMayor unveils plans for gender neutral public toilets in LondonCritics have called the plans an 'idealogical tsunami' and expressed fears for women's safetyPIPPA CRERARTuesday 28 November 2017Plans for scores more gender neutral toilets across London to help trans and non-binary people feel more comfortable were revealed today.Sadiq Khan will, for the first time, issue detailed policy guidance on new, free, publicly accessible loos in commercial developments.In his London Plan – the capital’s planning strategy - tomorrow he will call on developers to provide more gender neutral facilities in public places like shopping centres, leisure centres and cinemas to reflect the capital’s diversity.The Mayor envisages more unisex toilets, like those in Starbucks, with individual cubicles that can be used by either gender, disabled people as well as parents with babies.City Hall aides said the toilets should be well designed so that users of all genders feel safe and comfortable, with full-length doors and partitions, clear layout and good lighting.The issue of gender neutral toilets has been controversial with critics arguing they remove a "safe space" for biological women and girls.The proposal of individual cubicles alongside separate men’s and women’s toilets has also divided the trans-community with many saying they don’t wish to be singled out.Mr Khan said: "I have vowed to be a Mayor for all Londoners so I am determined to ensure that everyone has the ability to enjoy our great city to its fullest."Toilets are a vital public service and can help to shape the experience of the capital for those who live here and for those visiting."We need a range of toilets that reflect the incredible diversity of this city – giving people the confidence to move around London with dignity."Although the London Plan is only a guideline for town halls, council planners have tended to adopt the proposals wholesale into their decision making.It also calls for ongoing surveillance, management and cleaning of toilet facilities to be agreed at planning stage, and for the installation of free drinking water fountains.Stonewall chief executive Ruth Hunt said: "Gender-neutral toilets are a practical solution for many people, for many reasons and it’s a powerful demonstration of acceptance that has benefits for everyone."But this move isn’t just practical, it’s symbolic. By introducing gender-neutral toilets, planners can show that London is a city that cherishes its diverse population."Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said: "This is the latest casualty of an ideological tsunami that sweeps common sense and biological reality aside."David Kurten, London Assembly member for UKIP added: "The common sense solution is to have one or two unisex cubicles, which many public places already have, for everybody."Alongside that we also need to have separate women and men’s toilets and changing facilities. Particularly for women’s safety, we shouldn’t be opening up access to their toilets to those who are biologically male, however they identify."In March, North Caroline passed a law – the so-called "bathroom bill" - requiring people to use public toilets that correspond with the sex listed on their birth certificate.(4) Unisex toilets for London may remove one of the few "safe spaces" for Womenhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/sadiq-khan-mayor-of-london-gender-neutral-toilets-london-plan-a8081136.htmlSadiq Khan calls for more gender-neutral toilets in LondonNew guidance issued to help trans people and those with non-binary gendersBen KentishTuesday 28 November 2017Sadiq Khan is to publish plans to increase the number of gender-neutral toilets in London in order to make life easier for transgender people and those who do not define themselves as either male or female.The London mayor will issue new guidance that says unisex toilets should be included in new commercial developments in the capital, including shopping centres, cinemas and sporting facilities.He will also call on developers and local authorities to introduce more "changing places" toilets, which include features such as a height-adjustable sink and a hoist, to help people with disabilities.The guidance will be included in revisions to the London Plan – the framework for development in London – to be published on Wednesday.Mr Khan said:  "I have vowed to be a mayor for all Londoners so I am determined to ensure that everyone has the ability to enjoy our great city to its fullest."Toilets are a vital public service and can help to shape the experience of the capital for those who live here and for those visiting."We need a range of toilets that reflect the incredible diversity of this city – giving people the confidence to move around London with dignity."Some private companies, including Starbucks, have already installed gender-neutral toilets, as have public spaces such as the Barbican Centre.The issue of gender-neutral toilets and fitting rooms has proved controversial in recent months. Critics say they remove one of the few "safe spaces" for women.LGBT rights groups, however, argue that the fact most toilets are designed based on assumptions of binary gender – suggesting people are either male or female – is problematic for trans people and those who do not consider themselves to be either male or female.Ruth Hunt, chief executive of the charity Stonewall, said: "Gender-neutral toilets are a practical solution for many people, for many reasons and it’s a powerful demonstration of acceptance that has benefits for everyone."But this move isn’t just practical, it’s symbolic. By introducing gender-neutral toilets, planners can show that London is a city that cherishes its diverse population."However, some groups opposed the new guidance. Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, told the London Evening Standard: "This is the latest casualty of an ideological tsunami that sweeps common sense and biological reality aside."(5) London Tube scraps 'ladies and gentlemen' to make announcements 'non-binary'http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/13/london-tube-scraps-ladies-gentlemen-make-announcements-gender/13 JULY 2017London Underground staff have been told to instead use greetings such as "good morning everyone" to ensure that all passengers feel "welcome".All new pre-recorded announcements will also be changed to use the new phrases, Transport for London (TfL) said.Campaigners had said the phrase "ladies and gentleman" - which is commonly used by drivers - was "outdated", adding that it is"polite, but really belonging to yesterday".Stonewall, the LGBT campaign group, welcomed the decision, which comes after months of campaigning and was supported by London mayor Sadiq Khan.The change of phrases follows similar moves in other companies, universities and schools across the country to use gender-neutral language."We want everyone to feel welcome on our transport network," said Mark Evers, director of customer strategy at TfL."We have reviewed the language that we use in announcements and elsewhere and will make sure that it is fully inclusive, reflecting the great diversity of London."Mr Khan said he was "keen" that TfL speak in a "more neutral way".He added: "TfL serves a vibrant, diverse and multicultural city, and provision of an inclusive transport service is at the heart of TfL's purpose."I am aware however, that some customers may not relate to or feel comfortable with the way that certain station announcements are made."TfL said it had told staff about the use of the new phrases, but that "from time-to-time, well-meaning staff may still use the term 'ladies and gentlemen"."If this happens frequently, we will issue reminders to staff," it added.Stonewall said in a statement: "Language is extremely important to the lesbian, gay, bi and trans community, and the way we use it can help ensure all people feel included."We welcome gender neutral announcements to be rolled out across TfL as it will ensure that everyone - no matter who they identify as - feels accounted for."(6) Tube bans the phrase ‘ladies and gentlemen’https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tube-bans-the-phrase-ladies-and-gentlemen-in-drive-to-be-gender-netural-crplnsp35Graeme Paton, Transport CorrespondentJuly 13 2017, 5:00pmIt has been the formal way of addressing an audience for centuries. Now transport bosses are banning the greeting "ladies and gentlemen" in favour of a gender-neutral alternative.Transport for London said yesterday that the phrase, which is believed to have its origins in the 16th century, will be scrapped to be replaced with "good morning everyone".The Tube, which handles 1.37 billion journeys annually, said that gender-neutral greetings will be applied to recorded announcements when they are updated this year.Staff have also been urged to incorporate them into everyday greetings. Bosses will issue reminders to staff who continue to use "ladies and gentlemen".The change was made after months of campaigning by LGBT groups for a change in the "outdated" language used by…(7) New York subway scraps 'ladies and gentleman', to make announcements Trans-friendlyhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/new-york-subway-ladies-and-gentleman-announcement-gender-neutral-a8050286.htmlThe reaction in New York has been mixedThe New York City Subway system is planning on doing away with its recorded announcements addressing "ladies and gentlemen" in favour of a messages that are gender-neutral.Instead, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will use phrases like "riders" and "everyone". The transportation system will also get rid of pre-recorded messages to announce delays, favoring real-time explanations for passengers instead."We’re fundamentally changing the way we talk with riders to give them better and clearer information," an MTA spokesperson told CBS News.Conductors will also now begin to greet passengers on certain holidays, and already have begun doing so on Tuesday, which was New York’s election day. They’ll also tell people to thank a veteran on Veterans Day, for example.The changes are a part of a 9-page memo that outlines ways to fundamentally change the way that the MTA interacts with its rider base. A major goal is to get conductors to be more emphatic and human with the millions who rely on the sprawling subway system that serves as a circulatory system between the city’s boroughs.The new announcements will be phased in, and the old ones rooted out as they are identified. The swap comes just after the New York State comptroller released a report indicating that fares and tolls would likely need to be increased sooner than previously expected — a report that has been denied by others in the state government.Riders have expressed mixed reaction to the new announcements, with some worried about the cost of changing the entire system’s announcements. Others were indifferent to the idea, and still others said they were fed-up with the drive to make the city politically correct, and that having a train system that says "ladies and gentlemen" isn’t bothering anyone.(8) France’s highest court refuses to recognise 'neutral gender' as a categoryhttp://www.france24.com/en/20170504-france-neutral-gender-sex-courtFrance’s top court of appeals on Thursday ruled that a person of indeterminate sex could not use "neutral gender" as a civil status category.In a landmark ruling on a case filed by a 65-year-old psychotherapist, the court noted that "the duality" of gender as a civil status was "necessary for social and legal organisation".The latest ruling came months after a French court recognised "neutral gender" in a case filed by the 65-year-old plaintiff who was born with indeterminate gender but assigned a male status at birth.In August 2015, a family court in the central French city of Tours accepted a neutral gender category. But in March 2016, an appeals court in Orléans rejected the ruling.(9) Christians should pray for Prince George to be gay, says ministerhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/dec/01/christians-should-pray-from-prince-george-to-be-gay-says-c-of-e-ministerChristians should pray for Prince George to be gay to force support for same-sex marriage in the Church of England, a senior Scottish Episcopal church minister and LGBTQ campaigner has said.The Very Rev Kelvin Holdsworth, provost of St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow, made the comments in a blog he reposted about LGBTQ inclusion in the Church of England following the announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement.In the post, he writes that Christians should pray "for the Lord to bless Prince George with a love, when he grows up, of a fine young gentleman".(10) Attorney General Jeff Sessions backs Religious exemptions over Gay Marriagehttp://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/11/29/klukowski-media-panics-over-sessions-success-at-justice-department/Klukowski: Media Panics over Sessions’ Success at Justice Departmentby KEN KLUKOWSKI29 Nov 2017 Washington, DC416Establishment media elites at the Washington Post recently attacked Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a full-length editorial piece disguised as a news report. [...]Predictably, the Post’s hyperventilating is at its most anguished when discussing elections and LGBT issues. It writes:Sessions has even adjusted the department’s legal stances in cases involving voting rights and [LGBT] issues in a way that advocates warn might disenfranchise poor minorities and give certain religious people a license to discriminate.The writers cite as a key example DOJ’s filing of an amicus brief at the Supreme Court supporting Jack Phillips, the Christian baker in Colorado who declined to custom-design a wedding cake to celebrate same-sex marriage. But the article mentions not a word about Phillips’ claiming his own First Amendment civil rights of free speech and the free exercise of religion, which Sessions supported in DOJ’s brief in that case.On a related note, the Post says Sessions reversed Obama-era DOJ guidance that transgenderism is protected under Title VII (employment) and Title IX (schools) in federal law. However, DOJ instead pointed out correctly that the term "sex" in those statues unquestionably referred to biological sex in 1964 and 1972, respectively, when those laws were enacted. DOJ’s position today is the same as Obama’s when he first took office, that only Congress can add new protected classes in federal law by passing a new federal statute. The duty of DOJ is to enforce the law as it is written by elected lawmakers, not to rewrite those laws itself. [...]Sessions has put an end to those violations. The fact that the establishment media, represented here by the Bezos-owned Washington Post, criticizes Sessions for doing his job faithfully instead of using its incredible power to push his own political and policy agenda, is the real news story – one that establishment media outlets may never report.Ken Klukowski is senior legal editor for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @kenklukowski.(11) Parents' fury at school opening UNISEX toiletshttps://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/736820/unisex-toilets-parents-children-leytonstone-buxton-schoolParents' fury at school opening UNISEX toilets which could expose pupils to SEXUAL ABUSEPARENTS have reacted with fury after a school which teaches children from aged three installed unisex toilets.By JOEY MILLAR	The row erupted at a new £12 million building at Buxton School in Leytonstone, East London.A petition launched just 24 hours ago calling for the toilets to be scrubbed has now reached 500 signature.Worried mum Shaila Hussain said: "This concept of mixed toilets will not only make children feel differentiated but shame in using toilets."This will initiate more sexualised behaviour. It would be better to keep it separated as it's safer.Having the unisex toilets will allow nothing but more mischievous behaviour."Hannah Cuthbertson agreed unisex toilets will lead to children becoming sexually active even earlier.She said: "Unisex toilets will just lead to children becoming sexually active even earlier."In turn leads to more sexual assaults and problems, children are too young to understand the implications."Firuza Beg warned the toilets could increase the risk of child abuse.She said: "There's already so much child abuse going on and this will increase the situation even more."However, many people see this a progressive step in the right direction.According to Jade Slaughter, unisex toilets will make it much easier for trans and non-binary students.She said: "I can't see any problems with it."Caroline Emma Burns said she is not sure what people are concerned about.She said: "Everyone should be able to use the toilet in peace whether in unisex or single sex toilets."Hopefully the kids will be taught to be respectful of each other, whether in the toilets or not."Glynis Ford thinks Brits are just too precious and should take Europe's lead, where unisex toilets are more common.Executive headteacher Kath Wheeler also welcomed the introduction of full-height unisex cubicles.Ms Wheeler said: "No pupil has to use a unisex toilet if they do not want to."Children under the age of eight will continue to use separate toilets attached to their classrooms.(12) Cash-strapped NHS splashes out on more than 100 ‘gender neutral’ toilets in Hospitalshttps://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2555237/anger-in-the-stalls-as-cash-strapped-nhs-splashes-out-on-more-than-100-trendy-gender-neutral-toilets/Anger as cash-strapped NHS trust splashes out on more than 100 trendy ‘gender neutral’ toilets in UK firstSandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust spent £1,265 to change signs which now  show symbols for men, women, disabled people and the gender neutralBy PAUL SIMS  and NICK MCDERMOTTHOSPITAL bosses sparked fury after becoming the first in the country to provide "gender neutral" loos.They splashed out before Christmas on a makeover at more than 100 toilets.But opponents say  it flies in the  face of Government promises to phase out  mixed-sex wards.Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust spent £1,265 to change signs which now  show symbols for men, women, disabled people and the gender neutral.They feature grab bars for disabled users, a toilet, sanitary bin and sink, but no urinal.At Birmingham City Hospital 77 toilets have been converted.  Thirty-one were changed at Sandwell Hospital and six at Rowley Regis in the West Midlands.There are other toilets accessible for both women and men throughout the hospitals.Sun Doctor Carol Cooper said: "This move flies in the face of logic. Why even think of gender-neutral loos when mixed-sex wards have already been branded a bad idea? Joyce Robins, from Patient Concern, said: "This seem like it will create more problems than it will solve."Birmingham patient Helen Cox, 69, said: "It would be better to be kept separate." But trust chief executive Toby Lewis said: "They have been well received."(13) Soros-supported groups are behind the push for Gay Marriage & Unisex public Bathroomshttp://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Our-World-Soross-campaign-of-global-chaos-464770Soros’s Campaign Of Global ChaosBy Caroline B. GlickJerusalem PostAugust 22, 2016Major media outlets in the US have ignored the leak of thousands of emails from billionaire George Soros’s Open Society Foundation by the activist hacker group DCLeaks. The OSF is the vehicle through which Soros has funneled billions of dollars over the past two decades to non-profit organizations in the US and throughout the world.According to the documents, Soros has given more than $30 million to groups working for Hillary Clinton’s election in November, making him her largest single donor. So it is likely the case that the media’s support for Clinton has played some role in the mainstream media’s bid to bury the story.It is also likely however, that at least some news editors failed to understand why the leaked documents were worth covering. Most of the information was already public knowledge. Soros’s massive funding of far-left groups in the US and throughout the world has been documented for more than a decade.But failing to see the significance of the wider story because many of the details were already known is a case of missing the forest for the trees. The DCLeaks document dump is a major story because it exposes the forest of Soros’s funding networks.The first thing that we see is the megalomaniacal nature of Soros’s philanthropic project. No corner of the globe is unaffected by his efforts. No policy area is left untouched.On the surface, the vast number of groups and people he supports seem unrelated. After all, what does climate change have to do with illegal African immigration to Israel? What does Occupy Wall Street have to do with Greek immigration policies? But the fact is that Soros-backed projects share basic common attributes.They all work to weaken the ability of national and local authorities in Western democracies to uphold the laws and values of their nations and communities.They all work to hinder free markets, whether those markets are financial, ideological, political or scientific. They do so in the name of democracy, human rights, economic, racial and sexual justice and other lofty terms.In other words, their goal is to subvert Western democracies and make it impossible for governments to maintain order or for societies to retain their unique identities and values.Black Lives Matter, which has received $650,000 from Soros-controlled groups over the past year, is a classic example of these efforts. Until recently, the police were universally admired in the US as the domestic equivalent of the military. BLM emerged as a social force bent on politicizing support for police.Its central contention is that in the US, police are not a force for good, enabling society to function by maintaining law and order. Rather, police are a tool of white repression of blacks. [...]The demoralization and intimidation of police is very likely to cause a steep increase in violent crimes.Then there are Soros’s actions on behalf of illegal immigration. From the US to Europe to Israel, Soros has implemented a worldwide push to use immigration to undermine the national identity and demographic composition of Western democracies. The leaked emails show that his groups have interfered in European elections to get politicians elected who support open border policies for immigrants from the Arab world and to financially and otherwise support journalists who report sympathetically on immigrants.Soros’s groups are on the ground enabling illegal immigrants to enter the US and Europe. They have sought to influence US Supreme Court rulings on illegal immigration from Mexico. They have worked with Muslim and other groups to demonize Americans and Europeans who oppose open borders.In Israel as well, Soros opposes government efforts to end the flow of illegal immigration from Africa through the border with Egypt. [...]Parallel to these efforts are others geared toward rejecting the right of Western democracies to uphold long-held social norms. Soros-supported groups, for instance, stand behind the push not only for gay marriage but for unisex public bathrooms.They support not only the right of women to serve in combat units, but efforts to force soldiers to live in unisex barracks. In other words, they support efforts aimed at denying citizens of Western democracies the right to maintain any distance between themselves and Soros’s rejection of their most intimate values – their sexual privacy and identity. [...](14) The Economist recommends: make more toilets Unisexhttp://www.economist.com/node/16542591Flushing away unfairnessHanging on too long for porcelain parity is more than a nuisance for womenJul 8th 2010THE scene is familiar, infuriating, and usually met with resignation. Women, legs crossed in discomfort or desperation, wait in line for the lavatory while men saunter in and out of their loos. It is a common sight at theatres, sports grounds and other public buildings.Sanitation and women's rights are closely linked. West Virginia barred women from jury service until 1956, claiming courthouses lacked female toilets. In 1994 a Texan firm fired dozens of women rather than provide extra lavatories. Until 1993 female senators had to jostle with the tourists visiting Capitol Hill, because no rest rooms were assigned to them.In poorer countries unequal provision means more than just discomfort. Studies in countries such as Ghana and Cameroon suggest many girls at secondary school miss a week of classes when they have their period, or drop out altogether when they reach puberty. Rude boys plus inadequate or missing girls' toilets make calls of nature embarrassing or outright dangerous. In India some 330m women lack access to toilets. Many wait until night, raising the risk of rape, kidnap and snake bites. Amnesty International complained on July 7th about the similar plight of women in Kenya's slums.Now things are changing. About half the states in America now have porcelain-parity laws, as do Singapore and Hong Kong. A bill now before Congress mandates equal provision of toilets for men and women in federal buildings. In 2005 New York City decreed that women must have twice as many outlets as men, though like the bill now before Congress, it applies only to new buildings and those undergoing substantial renovations. Japan's tourist areas typically provide two or three times as many toilets for women as do South Korea's or Taiwan's.Surprisingly, the European Union has yet to plumb the depths of this issue, as have most member states. Britain has no legal requirement for provision of toilets for the public at all. Under the 1936 Public Health Act, still in force, local authorities can provide public conveniences but do not have to. Workplaces have to provide a certain number but are not required to have any more for women than men. Clara Greed, of the British Standards Institute's "revision committee on sanitary installations", argues that Britain's unfairness stems from laws written by men who thought ladies ought to stay at home. Ms Greed recommends that the new standards provide for twice as many public toilets for women as men, but with flexibility: shopping centres, largely used by women, need more; sports events, where men are thicker on the ground, need fewer.Experts such as John Banzhaf, a law professor at George Washington University, agree that just mandating equal numbers of toilets is not enough. Defining equality, he says, is surprisingly complicated. Sanitary facilities are typically assigned by area. But up to 12 urinals can fit into the space taken by three to four sit-down toilets. Kathryn Anthony, an architecture professor who works with the American Restroom Association, says that equality should be measured in terms of speed of access at times of maximum capacity. This could mean up to four times as many fixtures for the ladies.One reason for that is that men and women use lavatories differently. In a 1988 study conducted for Virginia Tech, Sandra Rawls Oltmanns and Savannah Day calculated that women take on average almost three minutes to go in, go and go out. Men manage in just 83.6 seconds. Another study, looking at the time people actually spend in toilet stalls, reckoned that men take between 32 and 47 seconds and women 80 to 97. Either way, women spend twice as long as men.Curmudgeonly men might argue that it is unfair to subsidise women's other bathroom-based activities, such as fixing make-up or chatting, or the extra privacy of individual toilet stalls. But some biological and social factors inevitably weight the scales. Menstruating or pregnant women have to go more often and for longer. Since they generally (but not always—see picture) urinate sitting down, women have to spend longer undressing. They are also more likely to be helping children.Another solution is to make more toilets unisex (already common in some countries). Ms Anthony says this is fairer: either there are no lines, or everyone has to wait. They also make life easier for transgender people by eliminating the need to make a public choice. A sprinkling of unisex loos has appeared even in America, at places such as La Jolla Shores beach in California. But please lift the seat.Correction: An earlier version of this article reported that a ruling under human-rights legislation in New Zealand had ensured that women need wait no more than three minutes to use a public lavatory. This is incorrect. Sorry. This has been corrected online.This article appeared in the International section of the print edition(15) The Economist: British schools are adapting to growing numbers of transgender pupilshttps://www.economist.com/news/britain/21717739-talk-accommodating-transgender-students-contrasts-sharply-uproar-america-how-britishChanging rooms and beyondHow British schools are adapting to growing numbers of transgender pupilsTalk of accommodating transgender students contrasts sharply with uproar in America    Mar 4th 2017ST PAUL’S, a fee-paying girls’ school in west London, often tops the league tables for exam results. But it is in the news for another reason: the publication of a new "gender-identity student protocol", which allows pupils older than 16 to wear boys’ clothes and to be addressed by boys’ names. Although the school would not accept a male applicant, it is happy to support existing pupils who wish to change gender, explains Clarissa Farr, the school’s head teacher. Growing numbers of her pupils, she says, no longer see themselves as girls.Schools are often in the front line of social change. But rarely has it come so fast. The Gender Identity Research and Education Society, a charity, estimates that the number of children who identify as transgender in Britain is doubling each year. Mermaids, an outfit that supports transgender children, received 3,000 phone calls last year, up from 600 in 2014. Most children simply identify as another gender, or none; a minority begin medical treatment to alter their bodies.They often have a tough time at school. One survey in 2014 found that a third of transgender children had skipped class because they feared discrimination. Bullying is a big problem, mainly by fellow pupils but sometimes by teachers, too. Susie Green, the chief executive of Mermaids, says that around half of schools fail to help pupils when they come out as transgender. In some cases, teachers refuse to take actions as simple as accepting a new name.In 2010 the Labour government passed an equality act that obliges public and private institutions not to discriminate against transgender people. That has led to some improvements. Uniforms increasingly have a unisex option. New schools tend to be built with cubicle toilets and changing rooms, rather than communal ones split by gender. Whereas America has national debates about toilet use, in Britain discontent rarely spreads beyond local parents.Still, most schools face up to the issue only when one of their pupils comes out as transgender. Even when well-meaning, a rushed response can make things trickier. Teachers are sometimes reluctant to discuss the subject for fear of saying the wrong thing (at St Paul’s, pupils came up with a glossary to help). Yet, say campaigners, most of the time teachers need only listen to what children want.This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline "Changing rooms and beyond"(16) Woman murdered in a Unisex toilet in Gangnam, Soeul - The Economisthttps://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2016/05/economist-explains-22Why South Korea is worrying about the position of womenThe Economist explainsMay 26th 2016THE murder of a 23-year-old woman in Seoul, the South Korean capital, on May 17th is shocking for at least two reasons. The crime, in which the suspect stabbed the victim to death in public toilets in the bustling district of Gangnam, was a heinous one. But it is also a very uncommon one: South Korea’s homicide rate, at 0.8 murders per 100,000 people, is lower than that of Australia, Norway and France. About 70% of South Korean women say they feel safe walking alone at night. Yet in the four days following the murder, CJMall, a local online shop, reported an eight-fold increase in sales of self-defence gadgets, such as sprays and alarms, almost all to women. Seoul National University, the country’s most prestigious, has already installed a scream-detector in its female toilets. The city government is doubling the number of CCTVs in parks along its river. Why has the case caused such alarm?The circumstances of the tragedy have sparked intense public debate. Although the police have tentatively concluded that the murder was not a hate crime—the suspect was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2008, and had been in psychiatric care as recently as last year—the man’s explanation to the police that he "hated women for belittling him" has stunned South Koreans. He had never met the victim before. Apparently, security footage suggests that he passed over six men who entered the unisex toilets before singling her out, simply, it seems, because she was a woman. In the days following the murder, Gangnam Station—to many a symbol of South Korean modernity—was transformed into an impromptu mourning site as hundreds came to lay flowers and tack colourful notes of tribute to the outer wall of exit 10. Within a few days, similar memorials bloomed in provincial cities, such as Busan, Daegu and Daejeon. [...](17) Most Men Avoid Unisex Bathroomshttps://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/it-s-man-s-and-woman-s-world/201509/why-some-welcome-unisex-bathrooms-and-some-steer-clearWhy Some Welcome Unisex Bathrooms, and Some Steer ClearIs this a trend that's too far ahead of its time?      Posted Sep 17, 2015At the recent American Sociological Association (ASA) annual meeting in Chicago, I noticed an unspoken social rule governing unisex restroom use. To clarify: I don’t mean unisex single-user restrooms. Rather, ASA taped paper unisex signs over the usual signs designating multi-user restrooms as for women or men. Such restrooms house several conventional toilet stalls. In temporarily-converted male restrooms, urinals are blocked off. On their website, the ASA explained that unisex restrooms equalize access for everyone regardless of gender identity (ASA 2013).As a gender scholar, I have long been aware that sex-segregated restrooms reinforce cultural beliefs about gender, creating difference where biologically there is none. (Women and men do much the same thing in restrooms.) (Goffman, 1977). They also exclude those outside the narrowly-defined gender binary (Lucal, 1999).I understand and support ASA’s inclusive de-gendering of multi-user restrooms.But in practice, unisex restrooms may have far from egalitarian consequences—at least until the wider restroom-using public adapts to the concept. While washing my hands in one of the multi-user unisex restrooms, it struck me that all of the other users were also women. So I stationed myself in the hallway opposite the restroom door and settled down to observe.Both women and men often hesitated upon seeing the unisex restroom sign, but whereas women proceeded into the restroom, the majority of men turned away. Why, I wondered, did men appear to experience greater discomfort with unisex restrooms?To gain insight into this de facto gendered exclusion, I asked several colleagues about their attitudes toward multi-user unisex restrooms, and whether they had used such a restroom at the conference. Men expressed far greater discomfort, and were more likely to have avoided such restrooms. Their concerns centered on the potential for misinterpretation if they were mistakenly perceived to be watching women, and the possibility that their presence might make the women uncomfortable. Men who actually had braved the unisex restrooms stated that differences in gendered restroom cultures only added to their discomfort. Women are more relaxed and chatty in public restrooms and make less effort to avoid eye contact or adjacent stalls (Moore, 2012); both behaviors violate stricter male norms of restroom etiquette.These findings are consistent with extant research: Despite paternalistic motivations for sex-segregated restrooms (Kogan, 2010), men express a greater sense of vulnerability and discomfort in public multi-user (single-sex) restrooms than women do. Concerns about "being watched and being mistakenly perceived to be watching" (Moore, 2012) result in strict norms of avoiding interaction and eye contact and respecting personal space (Middlemist, 1976). This apparently homophobic fear of sexual assault and stigma (if perceived as gay) might be alleviated by the presence of women in a multi-user unisex restroom, but instead men recast their anxieties into a heterosexual context. The fear that they might be perceived as watching women, and the fear that women might be made uncomfortable or afraid echoes men’s own experiences and emotions in all-male restrooms.In reality, these fears may be exaggerated: Women did not express discomfort or concern about sharing restrooms, possibly because sexual assault would be unlikely in a crowded restroom.Although initially interested in the present-day gender dynamics multi-user unisex restrooms, my investigation sparked an interest in the history—and likely future—of sex-segregated restrooms. Why are restrooms sex-segregated at all, even when they are single-user? Men and women generally share toilets in private life—there is clearly no biological necessity for segregation. Rather, according to author and law professor Terry S. Kogan (2010), sex-segregated single-user restrooms are a relic of Victorian-era prudery, anxiety over women’s entry into new social roles, and beliefs about women’s vulnerability. Today, the sex segregation of single-user restrooms has actually been codified into law in several states—a rule which proponents of "potty parity," such as Slate writer Ted Trautman, argue is silly and inefficient.Clearly, there is a movement in favor of de-gendering single-user restrooms, but will multi-user unisex restrooms become the new normal? In my brief research, I did not locate many advocates of unisex multi-user restrooms—apparently, ASA is in the avant garde of potty parity.In my estimation, we are unlikely to see broad adoption of multi-user unisex restrooms anytime soon. The controversy over unisex single-user restrooms suggests that we are far from an era of gender-neutral toileting.ReferencesASA. "Access for All at the Annual Meeting." http://www.asanet.org/am2013/access.cfm (link is external)Beck, Julie. 2014. "The Private Lives of Public Bathrooms." The Atlantic. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/04/the-private-lives-of-p... (link is external)Haslam, Nick. 2012. Psychology in the Restroom. New York: Palgrave MacMillon.Kogan, Terry. 2010. "Sex Segregation: The Cure-all for Victorian Social Anxiety." In Harvey Molotch and Laura Noren, editors. Toilet: Public Restrooms and the Politics of Sharing. New York: New York University Press.Lucal, Betsy. 1999. "What it Means to be Gendered Me: Life on the Boundaries of a Dichotomous Gender System." Gender & Society 13(6):781-797.Middlemist, R.D., E.S. Knowles, and C.F. Matter. 1976. "Personal Space Invasions in the Lavatory: Suggestive Evidence for Arousal." Journal of Personal Social Psychology 33(5):541-546.Moore, Sarah E. H., and Simon Breeze. 2012. "Spaces of Male Fear: The Sexual Politics of Being Watched." British Journal of Criminology 52(6):1172-1191.Trautman, Ted. 2014. "Restrooms Are an Outdated Relic of Victorian Paternalism." Slate. http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2014/04/11/sex_segregated_public_rest...-- Peter Myerswebsite: http://mailstar.net/index.html