The Macrobert Arts Centre will, starting tomorrow (Monday 25th), be running a trial week providing gender neutral bathrooms to its customers.
This week will see the on-campus cinema and art centre convert two of its previously gendered toilets, to neutral and open to all gender identities.
Ester Currie, Macrobert Marketing Manager, says the decision was taken by the venue to promote accessibility and inclusion: “We continuously strive to make Macrobert Arts Centre more accessible and inclusive, responding to the needs of the individual as well as the majority.”
She says the conversation is still in its infancy but this trial and the feedback they receive will dictate how the space moves forward: “We’ll be asking all of our visitors to give feedback during the trial and use this to inform the provision we offer as we move forward.”
Ester says the week trail will fall nicely ahead of Friday 1st’s event which sees the Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF) bring its selection of opening shorts from 2018’s festival on tour to Stirling and other Scottish cities.
SQIFF, an annual festival that takes place in Glasgow, strives to provide safe spaces for all who attend and celebrate gender and sexual diversity in all the shapes it takes. This trial and its impact will help shift the Macrobert in a similar direction and create a safe on-campus environment for those whom gender spaces prove difficult.
The Macrobert’s choice to run this trial is the second instance this academic year of gender neutral toilets surfacing in conversations of inclusive spaces on campus.
Last semester saw the student body vote through a motion at a Students’ Union General Meeting which mandated the union include accessible gender neutral toilets within the union area.
If this trial and the resulting feedback received proves positive from the Macrobert and its customers then gender neutral toilets may become a more permanent feature within the centre, so taking another step towards Stirling campus being more gender inclusive.
[…] of the event, Macrobert decided to trial a gender-neutral bathroom; a big change to make everyone feel comfortable and heard, especially during such an inclusive and […]