Which toilets should trans people use when they are transitioning?

Trans staff should be able to use the facilities of their chosen gender, and their employer has a legal and ethical duty to support them while they are at work. They should not be bullied or harassed into using either the facilities of their birth gender or the accessible/disabled toilets. The Gender Duty states that harassment of trans people is unlawful.

If you have not already done so, we suggest that with the consent of the trans member of staff, you hold a meeting with staff in the department to explain the situation. The trans person may want to be involved in this meeting and they may also want to input into how their transition is discussed with colleagues.

It is important that colleagues gain an understanding of gender identity issues and the importance of a trans person living in their preferred gender in their daily life, including the use of single-sex facilities.  In order for a trans person to gain legal recognition of their preferred gender, they are required to have lived in their preferred gender for two years and if a trans person opts for hormone therapy or surgery (whether privately or on the NHS) they are usually required to undertake real life experience where they must live, work and study in their preferred gender. 

Staff should be free to ask questions and discuss transitioning in detail, as many people will have no experience of this in their personal or professional life, and it can be quite difficult for them to understand. Once you have done this, you should be clear that further harassment will not be tolerated, and that the university will take disciplinary action if necessary.

In the longer term, you might like to consider making some toilets unisex so that gender is not an issue. This would have the added benefit of making the provision of toilets for men and women more equitable.