Over the summer break there have been some changes to toilet signage in some buildings on campus. The work is part of an ongoing University review of toilet, shower and changing room facilities, prompted by recent legal and regulatory developments, including the Supreme Court judgment in For Women Scotland and the new Equality and Human Rights Commission Code of Practice. The effect of these developments is to clarify that the meaning of the protected characteristic of “sex” in the Equality Act is “biological sex”, so that universities and others must provide toilets and facilities for “biological” men and women and also all-gender toilets and facilities (please note that single-user lockable cubicles can be used by anyone)for those who prefer, as well as accessible and baby-changing facilities.
The first phase of the process has focussed on redesignating facilities where possible and installing new signage and wayfinding signage where signs were unclear or inconsistent. Some buildings have had toilet facilities redesignated as part of phase one, to ensure legal compliance and to help everyone find the facilities which they need:
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In Arts B, one set of toilets has been redesignated as all-gender, with wayfinding signage from elsewhere in the building.
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In the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, toilet facilities which were previously marked as all-gender have been re-designated as female and male. Wayfinding signage has been installed to the nearest all-gender facilities which are in Falmer House, which will remain open when events are running at the Attenborough Centre.
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In JMS lecture theatre, a set of toilets previously labelled all-gender has been redesignated as male. One accessible cubicle in the building has been redesignated as all-gender.
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In the Thermo Fluids Laboratory building, a standalone female toilet cubicle has been redesignated as all-gender by adding a lock to the outside, making it suitable for everyone – male, female and all-gender users.
Temporary wayfinding signage has also now gone up in buildings with limited or no all-gender, accessible or single-user lockable provision, directing users to the nearest facility elsewhere on campus. These buildings are:
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Biomedical Research Facility
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Chichester II
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Fulton Building
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JMS
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Norwich House / Norwich House Bungalow
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Richmond
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Sports Centre
The Sports Centre currently has no all-gender shower and changing facilities, therefore wayfinding signage has been installed there to direct users to the nearest all-gender facilities in Falmer House, which will remain open during the Sports Centre’s normal opening hours.
All other buildings are considered to have adequate provision of toilet facilities currently, but the next phase of the process will involve reviewing these and ensuring all signage is clear.
What happens next?
The campus-wide review continues, assessing further improvements required and longer-term options where provision falls short.
We are also reviewing possible signage for all-gender facilities, andwill be consulting with students and with staff networks and stakeholders to help inform the wider programme.
If anyone finds that the existing provision of appropriate facilitiesis not adequate, or if you have any other feedback, please contact Estates at estateshelpdesk@sussex.ac.uk.
We will keep students updated as the process progresses.