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How?
The government announced this week that new shops, public buildings and offices will now be required to have separate male and female toilets. Unisex single toilets will be allowed, but not bathroom spaces with multiple cubicles.
Why?
They argue this will "protect same-sex spaces", namely female spaces. This is the latest move in a series of plans to limit trans people's access to public spaces.
A dangerous rhetoric
Instead of protecting people, the evidence shows that when similar legislation has been applied in the US, it has led to dangerous outcomes. People have been attacked for being perceived to use the wrong bathroom, including cisgender women who don't conform to stereotypical 'femininity.' This feeds into a much wider attack on LGBTQIA+ rights in the UK including a potential change to the Equality Act and advising teachers to 'out' trans children to their parents.
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What's the study?
The first study has finally taken place testing the absorbance of period products with actual blood. That's right - the pads and tampons that we've been using for decades weren't tested with blood, but water or saline. The study found, however, that diaphragm-shaped menstrual discs may be the better solution.
Why does this matter?
The fact that previous studies were so ineffectual speaks to the wider conversation around the dearth of research into women's healthcare. Using water as an equivalent to menstrual blood could lead to totally misguided results. Indeed, this study found vast differences between reported and actual absorbent capacity. At a given point each day, 800 million people are menstruating. Perhaps we should pay more attention to the experiences of these people, particularly when they are overwhelmingly negative.
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Media outlets' confused stance on Pride
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What's happened?
On Sunday, a homophobic attack took place in South London and two men were stabbed outside a nightclub. The Telegraph reported on this horrific incident just two days after lamenting the money spent on Pride month.
Confused? Me too.
This certainly feels a little like “having your cake and eating it”, with one hand pushing a passively sceptical view of all things LGBTQIA+; the other being surprised when these sorts of events occur. And this sort of thing is common across multiple news outlets.
The attack was devastating, and its effects will be long-lasting on the victims, and on the community they’re a part of - but what needs to be talked about more is that the national mood is set by outlets like these and we are reaping the consequences of allowing them to set a narrative that is harmful to our more vulnerable communities. This is why it’s more important than ever to unite, be strong, and diversify where we consume our news.
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