Latest news with #publicToilets
Bloomberg
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Hong Kong Court Orders Nulling Laws on Sex-Segregated Toilets
A Hong Kong court has ordered the striking down of regulations banning individuals from using public toilets designated for the opposite sex, in a ruling expected to improve treatment of transgender people. The regulations violate Hong Kong's constitution-like Basic Law and its Bill of Rights by creating a disproportionate and unnecessary intrusion into the privacy and rights of transgender people, the ruling said. It highlighted the distress and practical challenges that transgender people experience when using facilities designated for a gender that did not align with their own identity. The court will suspend the judgment for a year to allow the government time to address the issue.
The Sun
24-06-2025
- The Sun
I lived in the US for 3 months – the 12 bizarre things I noticed as a Brit from drive-through weddings to VIP service
AFTER spending three months in the States, I came home with a suitcase full of souvenirs, sugary cereal, and a whole load of culture shock. I had been living in Santa Rosa, California, a beautiful city near San Francisco known for its wine, perfect weather and the invention of Snoopy. 12 Back when I boarded my 11 hour flight from London, I really didn't know what to expect on the other side. It was my first trip to the states - and whilst I knew that America does things big, I didn't realise just how extra it would be. After a summer of settling in, there was loads that left me baffled and bursting to tell people back home my weird encounters. Here's the 12 strangest things I noticed from my time in America, that will leave the British brain scrambled. Toilet door gaps One thing I just couldn't get over was the giant gaps in public toilet cubicles. I'm talking wide open spaces above and below the toilet door. Sometimes the gaps were so big you could see someone's shoes, shins, and even their knees through the stall. Going to the loo in a public place felt less like a private moment and more like a public stage. 12 Huge portions for smallish prices No need to worry about being charged a ridiculous price for a tiny serving - here, everything comes massive. In America, a small drink from McDonald's is 89 per cent bigger than in the UK, and a cup of Big Gulp fizz can hold up to a whopping 1.9 litres. The overlooked Florida winter sun destination with theme parks and historic cigar neighbourhood 12 12 I couldn't believe my eyes when I ordered a 'Bigger Plate' at Panda Express - it looked like enough to feed a family for under $12. And if you decide to 'supersize' anything, best of luck. At least you'll have your dinners for the entire week ahead sorted. Insane public parks When I think of a park, I think of a large patch of grass lined with trees, a couple of benches, maybe even a fountain if you're lucky. In California, a walk in the park would have you stumbling across lakes with lifeguards, inflatable obstacle courses, dog agility courses, barbecue grills, public picnic blankets and outdoor fitness equipment. In America, the local park isn't just for walking your dog - it can be an entire day out for the whole family. Needing a car to cross the road Here in the UK, pretty much everywhere is walkable. In the US? Not so much. I quickly learned that American cities just aren't built for pedestrians. Pavements are rare, crossings are few, and ' jaywalking ' is taken very seriously. But things got pretty ridiculous one day when my friends and I had to order an Uber just to cross the road to McDonald's. Tipping culture madness We all know that tipping is way more of a thing in the states than at home in the UK. I knew heading over to America that if I go out to eat, I should tip my waitress around 20 per cent of the bill. But what I didn't expect was that tipping culture doesn't just apply to restaurants. Taxi drivers, baristas, bartenders, hairdressers, even bus drivers - I soon found out that everyone expects you to leave a tip. As a Brit, I couldn't bear the thought of coming off as rude. So I kept forking over my dollars. So if you're planning a trip to the states - be sure to budget your tips for more than just meals! 12 Over-the-top customer service Walking into any American restaurant, I felt like a VIP. Hospitality is taken to the next level in America - before you've even sat down, you know your waiter's name and your drink is on the way. Sometimes the servers were so friendly that it actually creeped me out a bit. There's only so many times someone can ask "is everything perfect for you?" with a big grin on their face before you start to get a little weirded out. Nonetheless, it's hard to complain when you feel like you're being treated like royalty every time you order a burger. Everyone's your best friend Us Brits are known for our small talk and for being stand-offish. An American stranger will strike up a conversation with you in a lift like they've known you for years. People chatted to me in shops, queues, streets, even out on a run. Americans really are just that friendly - once you get over the initial "are they talking to me?", it's actually quite refreshing. Drive-through everything In America, if there's a way to do something without getting out of the car, they've made it possible. Drive-thrus aren't just for fast food anymore - it's coffee, pharmacies, banks and even weddings. It's all about convenience - something Americans have mastered the art of. It all seems a bit over-the-top at first, but when you actually find yourself in a hurry, those drive-thru cash machines can be a life-saver. 12 Overly-customised coffee Ordering coffee at home tends to be pretty simple: black, white, oat milk or skimmed? Head to somewhere like Dunkin, and it's a whole different ball game. If there's one thing Americans love, it's customising their coffee. Waiting in line for my cappuccino, I'd often overhear requests for something like a venti iced swirl decaf caramel oat latte with a quarter cup of creamer, and eight pumps of sugar-free vanilla. These coffees often looked and tasted more like milkshakes - but who am I to complain when they're so delicious? Leave the British-isms at home You probably wouldn't expect to read this on a list about travels in America, but brace yourself for the language barrier. You're going to need to swap takeaways for takeouts, crisps for chips, chips for fries, taps for faucets and rubbish for trash. When I was working at a traditional American summer camp, I caught myself telling my kids to "throw your chip bags in the trash". When I tried to say things in British English, they'd simply look at me confused. By the end of the summer, I was basically fluent in American. Needing a jumper even in a heatwave I've never been to Antarctica before, but I have experienced American AC - so does that count? Just when you've gotten used to the scorching heat, you'll walk into a store or shopping mall and get hit with a blast of freezing cold air. Forget packing light - if you're heading to America in the summertime, you'll still need to bring a hoodie or two for your trip to Target. 12 American flags everywhere I think I can count the amount of times I've seen the Union Jack out and about on one hand - Jubilees, The Olympics, and maybe once or twice when watching Eurovision. In America, patriotic pride is next-level. From front gardens, schools and sports games to shirts, cars and bars - the American flag is truly everywhere. I even saw the American flag attached to a dog several times. The stars and stripes are a truly iconic symbol, and are just as much a part of the scenery as the pickup trucks and neon fast food signs.
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
What the rows over skorts and public toilets reveal about Irish attitudes to equality
It is usually the case that the law lags behind changes in social norms. However, two unrelated recent controversies bely the reality that Ireland has had nearly 50 years of gender anti-discrimination law and 25 years of anti-discrimination legislation in relation to services, including public toilets, sports and sporting facilities. The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights duty – which requires public bodies such as Dublin City Council and Sport Ireland to promote equality and human rights when they are carrying out their functions – has been in place for 11 years. The recent controversies are about the requirement for camogie players to wear skorts and the proposal to close Dublin city centre's last public toilets, a plan aborted after an outcry and opposition from all city councillors, who condemned it as 'ludicrous'. Ireland was once a European leader in combating discrimination. In the early days of the equality legislation more than 40 years ago, the Labour Court interpreted the employment equality act as providing protection against discriminatory dress codes in the workplace, which required female employees to wear skirts or dresses. READ MORE However, equality and human rights standards now seem to be unknown or forgotten. Ten years after the historic marriage equality victory, we appear to be still working to advance rights and equality for all. Take the question of the future of the capital's remaining public toilets, operated for the last five years by a private company, which is going out of business. Dublin City Council has backed down from the planned closure but it shouldn't take an outcry for the council to provide toilets for the use of citizens and visitors. In 2020 the council opened toilets at two locations, on Grafton Street and on Wolfe Tone Square on the city's northside. The northside toilets were subsequently relocated to Ryder's Row off Capel Street and decommissioned in 2022 with the council citing 'complaints of antisocial behaviour in the area and low usage'. A worker puts the finishing touches to the newly installed public toilets at the top of Grafton Street, at St Stephens Green, Dublin in 2021. Those toilets will remain open, the city council has said. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Toilets are a basic human right. Access to facilities is not just a matter of convenience. It is about preserving health, equality, safety, dignity and privacy for all. These human rights concepts are reflected in documents ranging from our Constitution to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has been interpreted as requiring states to 'ensure that everyone, without discrimination, has physical and affordable access to sanitation in all spheres of life, which is safe, hygienic, secure, socially and culturally acceptable, provides privacy and ensures dignity'. The human right of access to sanitation is particularly relevant to anyone with small children, a disability, continence issues, or who is pregnant, menstruating or breastfeeding. It is also a huge concern for the thousands of people in Dublin experiencing homelessness, including the families who have to leave emergency accommodation B&Bs after breakfast. The lack of public toilets also contributes to environmental pollution. Stepping over human faeces is a sad fact of Dublin life these days. [ Camogie skorts controversy can be explained by a single photo Opens in new window ] The legally-binding Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty should require human rights, equality and poverty-proofing of the plans, policies and decisions of public bodies such as Dublin City Council before they are implemented. Dublin City Council said it would close the toilets due to reduced demand. Are equality and human rights factored into its considerations about the provision, or lack of provision, of public toilets? The skorts rule – which is due to be voted on this evening by the Camogie Association – represents the enforcement of outdated gender stereotypes and conventions, and can be seen as the exercise of power and control over women's bodies. There are a number of measures open to public bodies to help ensure the dignity and privacy of camogie players are respected. [ U-turn on Grafton Street toilets as council reverses 'ludicrous' closure plan Opens in new window ] Organisers of sporting events and facilities like Camogie Ireland are subject to anti-discrimination law. The Camogie Association receives significant financial support from the State. In granting public funding Sport Ireland can look to promote equality by requiring non-discriminatory dress codes. It is valid to ask to what extent Sport Ireland requires those granted significant public funding to equality-proof their rules and regulations. Ireland's national and human rights and equality body IHREC has used its power to request 'equality reviews' to promote equality of opportunity in sport. It recently published an account of one such equality review it invited Gymnastics Ireland to undertake after an independent review into a ' botched children's medal ceremony ', which saw the judge omit to present a medal to the only black child present. The IHREC intervention, which requested that the equality review focus more generally on the structures and practices put in place following the independent review, resulted in Gymnastics Ireland adopting 'a strong policy and procedural framework to protect and promote [equality of opportunity]'. A similar intervention in the camogie context would be welcome. It is also available to IHREC to conduct an inquiry into the matter – or other issues such as the lack of accessible public toilets – either of its own volition or at the request of the Minister for Equality. IHREC has recently exercised its unique statutory powers in combating systemic issues, such as the shameful mistreatment of single male asylum seekers. After a campaign led by FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) for a review of Ireland's inadequate and flawed equality legislation, the Government recently published the General Scheme of an Equality Bill and committed to prioritising it. While it requires some improvement and expansion, the Bill contains a number of powerful provisions and its enactment would be a positive statement of intent from our recently appointed Minister for Equality. Ireland has a vibrant and diverse array of community and civil society groups who are committed to human rights and equality, and who can work together to achieve a fairer and more inclusive society. Access to public toilets and freedom of choice for camogie players would be two basic but important steps towards that society. Eilis Barry is chief executive of FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres)
