Talks for gender-neutral toilets under way in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: The state has informed the Madras High Court that discussions are on with stakeholders on designing and setting up gender-neutral toilets in public places to provide better sanitation for trans persons.

The submission was made by Government Pleader A Edwin Prabhakar before the first bench of Acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq on Friday when a PIL petition came up for hearing. Referring to the suggestion of the court during a previous hearing for converting existing toilets into gender-neutral facilities, Prabhakar said such conversion would result in changing the design of the existing structure. But, disabled-friendly toilets, which are present in public buildings, can be declared gender-neutral. “In future, we can design and construct gender-neutral toilets in public buildings. Discussions are going on with the stakeholders,” he said.

The petitioner wanted the court to order construction of single-occupancy gender neutral toilets/all gender toilets in addition to the existing restrooms in educational institutions, malls, bus stations, railway stations, airports and be made accessible to trans persons.