Transgender School Bathrooms Leaving Girls 'Too Afraid to Use Restrooms'
Women's rights groups reports children being bullied in 'gender neutral' facilities
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Transgender bathrooms in schools have left girls "too afraid to use the restroom" over fears of bullying, sexual harassment, and "period shaming," a women's rights group is warning.
A growing number of schools is eliminating separate sex facilities due to claims they are not transgender-inclusive and can lead to bullying of "gender fluid" students.
Some school girls have now resorted to avoiding using the bathrooms altogether during school hours because of cruel taunts from boys and a lack of privacy and dignity, according to campaigners.
A worrying trend among young girls is to avoid drinking fluids during the school day in a bid dodge the need to use the all-gender bathrooms.
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According to the Daily Mail, a parent of a British secondary school girl told the newspaper that "boys are always speculating on whether girls are having their periods according to how long they take in the toilet."
Feminist campaigners Women's Voices Wales claims that the "safety and dignity" of girls at school is being neglected.
The group found pupils, parents and staff are often too embarrassed to complain about the unisex loos and has called for a policy to be reviewed.
Helen Raynor, a spokesperson, told the newspaper that no school girl should feel like they are unable to use the toilet.
She said: "No child should avoid school, or stop drinking water so they don't wee.
"Girls cannot 'hold periods in'," she added.
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A Welsh Government spokesman said that it will review the findings to see "whether further guidance" is required.
It added that when schools are built "stakeholders" are consulted "to ensure the school offers facilities that are fit for purpose."
One of the first schools in the UK to adopt unisex bathrooms was a secondary school in Stockport, near Manchester in 2000.
The headteacher argued that the move stopped bullying, vandalism, and smoking in the bathrooms.
Since then hundreds of schools have adopted the approach.
But it has sparked rows among parents, staff, and children, with some refusing to attend school over the controversial move.
