Oxfordshire County Council to decide on gender-neutral toilets

Oxfordshire County Council is set to provide a response to a transgender motion at its cabinet meeting tomorrow.

In December, a motion was put forward to the local authority by county councillor Sally Povolotsky.

The motion requested action to support transgender and non-binary people in Oxfordshire, and was agreed at council in April.

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“Transgender and non-binary people face significant disadvantage in society, vulnerable to violence, isolation, homelessness, and lack of access to suitable healthcare provision,” the motion read.

It called for work to provide at least one gender-inclusive bathroom (accessible) where possible in every public building owned or operated by the council.

The cabinet is now recommended to agree an approach to providing gender-inclusive bathrooms through the council’s Property Strategy.

File photo of a sign for a gender-neutral toilet. Picture: Don Jackson-Wyatt

An approach to providing consistent and inclusive language, and the development of an LGBTIQA+ guidance document, are also set to be agreed upon.

With regard to providing gender-inclusive bathrooms, the council is set to complete a review of the bathroom facilities available in its buildings as part of the local authority’s Property Strategy, which is currently in development.

For new documents and policies published by the council, the local authority is proposing introducing guidance that requests use of non-binary language including ‘they’ and ‘them’ except in cases where ‘she/her’ and ‘he/him’ are necessary.

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This story was written by Liam Rice, he joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.

Liam covers politics, travel and transport. He occasionally covers Oxford United.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Liam.rice@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailLiamRice