university campus toilet

I attended a course taught by a male lecturer dressed like a parody of a woman, not in professional clothing, but like a Barbie doll or something. The course was not about gender, but he ran a group discussion on male access to women's toilets and stood towering over a woman dressed in traditional modest Islamic clothing during the discussion, in a way that looked very dominating and threatening.

I stood up to him in a couple of minor ways when he was bullying the women in the class. On the break I was walking to the toilets in the next building, then turned and saw him grinning as he power-walked to catch up with me, clearly following me to the women's toilets. I changed direction and went to a much further away toilet instead.

He was glaring at me when I went back to the classroom and didn't let me speak when I raised my hand in group discussions. It was all obviously a sexualised power play to him, I felt both very uncomfortable and aware of how ridiculously childish the games he was playing were.

#unitedkingdom #malelecturers #bathrooms #toilets #students #singlesexspaces #selfid

changing rooms at sports centre

Anyone who “identifies as a woman” may now use the women’s locker room and bathroom and go to the women’s only swim. I no longer go to the facility at all, I simply do not feel comfortable or safe in the changing area / shower area / bathroom area. When we had a significant power outage last year, I relied on the use of the facility so that I could shower. (The Canada Games Centre in Clayton Park, Halifax. Dalhousie University in Halifax has the same policy articulated here: https://athletics.dal.ca/programs-and-training/women-s-only-swim.html ).

Also at work, in the female bathrooms, since 2016, the toilet seats often have urine on them and there were several occasions at my old job where there was faeces smeared on the toilet seats. Another large company where I applied, I asked to use their washrooms while there at an interview and same thing, urine on a toilet seat, I didn’t pursue the job after that.

There was a “woman’s walk” for women’s rights and the organization featured a trans-identified male (TIM) on the cover of their website, which, in my opinion, marginalizes women as a male individual will never understand the lived reality of being female (even though there are compassionate males in the world, I do not find TIMs and many of their political supporters to be compassionate towards women, especially women who may not be politically correct all the time). Also, these things are not in the news or otherwise broadcast so you have to find out the hard way.

Other impacts: can’t talk about issues that are important to females for fear of hurting people who are either trans or have trans family, without repercussions. I took a “term position” at my last place and have been unemployed since then. Am dreading going back to work as I wonder how I will navigate the washroom issues, and my experience working with TIMs is that they are ready to jump down their colleagues’ throats at minor inconveniences or perceived slights. Walking on eggshells all the time is draining.

#canada #sportsfacilities #bathrooms #changingrooms #menrepresentingwomen #singlesexspaces #shortlistedspots

dance bar bathroom

Pre-lockdown Brussels: a dance bar I went to with friends had a gender-neutral toilet with about 3 cubicles. It was filthy, stinking and the floor was wet with urine, worse than anything I have ever experienced.

Inside the door, a (cis) man leaning against the wall made comments toward me, which I ignored. When I came out of the cubicle, he was still there and continued making suggestive remarks. Another man had entered and joined in the jeering, they appeared to know one another.

I left immediately without washing my hands, feeling filthy and vulnerable. Ruined my night out.

#belgium #brussels #dancebar #bathrooms #genderneutralbathrooms #sexualharassment #singlesexspaces