The Surf Coast Council will debate a proposed change to its bathroom policy which would allow the shire’s bathroom and toilet facilities to be gender neutral. In other words, women’s toilets will NO LONGER be available to ONLY Women; the facilities will be shared with men who will be able to use them as well.
It would mean Surf Coast Council’s toilet and bathroom facilities will be available for use to both men and women at the same time.
Council officers came up with the plan after doing a ‘gender and equity impact assessment’. The motion would also refer to ‘gender identity’ instead of gender.
Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, said there are councillors opposing the plan and they are right to do so.
“What this motion tells us is that men have no idea what it is like to be a woman,” Mrs McArthur said.
Also read: Police investigate Point Cook Sexual Assault
“They can pretend they know, imagine they know, dream about knowing, and identify as much as they like – but there is no biological way that men know exactly what it is to be a woman. And this matters in debates such as this one.
“Teenage girls and women need to feel comfortable in the confined spaces of bathrooms. They need to feel safe and especially with respect to the vulnerabilities around having periods. There are genuine sensitivities involved,” Mrs McArthur added.
All Indian parents of young girls and young Indian women will be horrified if they have to share toilets and bathrooms with men, when they go to visit Geelong, Anglesea, Bells beach and/or other places of interest on the Bellarine peninsula and feel like having a little swim.
” I don’t think we will be comfortable if our daughters have to use toilets where men can just come in as a matter of right”, says Dev Mehra, father of two young daughters attending university at the moment.
“My daughters are very fond of the area and we have been to that side of Victoria innumerable times with many holidays even weeklong, but if this is what happens, it will be a short few hours trip if at all”, Dev Mehra added.
“These are critically private matters – and having men coming and going in women’s bathrooms will not provide the privacy, sanctity, or peace of mind young girls, teenagers or indeed, any woman would like. This is not about the transgender rights, this is about women, biological women”, Mrs McArthur adds.
“If the Surf Coast Council wants to provision all-access amenities, maybe it should provide some unisex toilets – but not at the expense of female – or male – toilets.
“If the transgender community can argue that it has rights – then logically – so too can biological men and women,” Mrs McArthur further said.
If you are against the proposed change, register your protest here to oppose women being forced to share toilets with men.