Non-residential buildings in England must offer single-sex bathrooms: report

Newly built offices, schools, hospitals and entertainment venues in England will be required to include separate single-sex bathrooms under soon-to-be-released rules, according to a new report.

The regulations will apply to such buildings over a certain size, The Telegraph revealed Saturday.

The British outlet reported that the government will announce this week that seeking to prevent non-residential buildings from being built solely with “universal,” or all-gender, restrooms.

Sources told the newspaper that ministers and Prime Minister Boris Johnson believe the regulations should cover all buildings home to businesses.

The measure is being helmed by Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch, who the Telegraph said was recently told that some young students stay away from using restrooms at schools because they only have gender-neutral ones.

Badenoch, a Conservative Party member, has reportedly said that it is “important” to provide single-sex spaces for men and women.

A British government source told The Telegraph: “It is vital that women feel safe and comfortable when using public facilities and that there is a greater emphasis on provision that is focused on dignity, privacy, tolerance and respect for all.”

The paper reported that ministers are likely to present the new policies as a “common sense” way to impede the recent trend in which gender-neutral bathrooms have become standard in newly constructed buildings.