Flushed Away: Save Women’s Toilets from Going Down the Pan
When it comes to my career, few know the role the loo has played.
Let me explain, as a newspaper journalist, life in a male-dominated newsroom would often become a bit too much and so I’d escape to the women’s toilets for peace. Times of stress would often see a few of us in there together, grabbing a few minutes together away from “the blokes” and offering encouragement and advice. It’s the main reason why I’m not keen on unisex toilets: where do women go for that girl-on-girl support?
This excellent piece from Learning to be Me is also a great insight into how pub toilets can offer relief of a different form for women. For us, they’re places to chat, gossip, share make-up and get reassurance for the old “Does my bum looks big in this?” question.
But that is all in danger. Public toilets are disappearing across the UK and it’s women who are paying the price – and not just in terms of having a place to enjoy a male-free moment. It’s a situation that’s undermined, humorously dismissed as an “inconvenience”. But in truth, it’s a potential public health crisis and a glaring example of how male privilege still rules.
Loos-ing a vital service
Since 2010, the number of public toilets in the UK has decreased dramatically. According to the British Toilet Association – yes, it exists – the total number of public conveniences fell from 3,500 in 2010 to fewer than 2,500 in 2021. Scotland has seen a 25% decline in public toilets since 2007, with areas like Edinburgh losing more than half of their facilities. Even more alarmingly, four council areas in Scotland now have no public toilets at all. One of them is Falkirk, where we go to visit my father-in-law.
A large part of the problem is the reduced funding for local councils, which are struggling to maintain essential services. Public toilets are often the first casualty when budgets are slashed. But this is more than a financial issue and framing it as such ignores the disproportionate impact on women.
Why public toilets matter more to women
- Biology: Periods, pregnancy and perimenopause (and beyond) make access to clean toilets more urgent and frequent than for men. Changing hormones affect our bladder, not to mention the need for a place to change sanitary products. Lack of accessible toilets can lead to dehydration, as people avoid drinking so they don’t need to go, and serious health risks such as urinary tract infections.
- Safety: Unlike men, women can’t pee in street corners. The absence of facilities forces women into unsafe or unhygienic situations, which can be degrading and dangerous. (I once sneaked into a wood to pee in Canada, only to see the signs for poison ivy when I came out! Thankfully, all was calm…)
- Caregiving: Women are more likely to be caregivers, whether it’s looking after children, elderly relatives or people with disabilities. Public toilets are essential for fulfilling these roles without undue stress. My elderly mam was once “caught short” in a car park and they had to speed home to get to the loo in time.
Private toilets are no substitute
No, supermarkets, cafes and petrol stations cannot fill the gap – and don’t want to. As I explained in The Week Unwrapped (you can hear it below), many businesses put up signs saying their toilets are for customer use only, leaving people having to pay to pee. For women, particularly those who are older, disabled, or on a low income, this “pee tax” can add up. In addition, the right to wee is a public health issue and turning to private businesses shifts responsibility away from the public sector, exacerbating inequalities.
Plus in rural areas such as the Scottish Highlands, the “just use a café” solution is absurd. The region spans over 10,000 square miles and the nearest café could be dozens of miles away – if one exists at all.
Equality, equality, equality
But there’s a broader issue behind the arguments defending the lack of public toilets – the failure to recognise and address women’s needs in public policy. The assumption that everyone can “make do” with fewer facilities is rooted in male privilege and the idea that what works for men works for everyone.
This issue intersects with other forms of inequality. Women of colour, older women and women with disabilities often face compounded barriers when public toilets are unavailable. For women of colour, discrimination can extend to public spaces, making some unsure about entering a business, while older women and those with disabilities may have limited mobility that means they can’t zig-zag around shop displays or pub tables to access the toilet. My last local’s toilets were up a steep flight of stairs, too.
Then there is the economic inequality – women who cannot afford the hidden costs of “customer-only” restrooms are disproportionately affected. By failing to prioritise accessible and inclusive public toilets, society effectively marginalises some of its most vulnerable members, reinforcing systemic inequalities.
What needs to change
1. The law: We need local authorities to be legally obliged to provide a minimum number of public toilets per capita, with specific requirements for accessible and gender-neutral facilities. This was the focus of a 2021 petition to the Scottish Parliament, which called for a statutory duty on councils to provide adequate public toilets. There was also a Westminster consultation held under the previous Tory government.
2. Funding: Between 2010 and 2020, the government reduced core funding to councils by 60p out of every £1 it provided. Toilets are seen as an easy way to ease the funding crisis when really, local authorities need dedicated funding to maintain and improve them. This is not just a public health issue, but an investment in community wellbeing and equality.
3. Design: Public toilets should be clean, safe and inclusive. This means prioritising accessibility for people with disabilities, adding baby-changing facilities in men’s and women’s toilets and ensuring adequate provision for menstrual hygiene in both. (Oh, and many men have told me they’d like the urinals gone, please.)
Time to flush out male privilege
Ultimately, public toilets are a basic human need, not a luxury, and it isn’t as easy for women to find alternative methods to spend a penny without actually spending a penny (or several). The declining numbers of public toilets shows how women’s needs are too-often sidelined when it comes to public policy and designing our streets. We need a true commitment to equity and inclusion to change this and make our cities, towns and villages work for all.
Women need to challenge the quiet acceptance of male privilege in our infrastructure and make public toilets a priority. Because everyone deserves the dignity of a safe and accessible place to go.
