National Trust faces boycott after members left 'mortified' by gender-neutral toilets

4 May 2022, 16:02 | Updated: 4 May 2022, 17:15

The National Trust is facing a boycott of its houses after a woman complained of walking into a gender-neutral toilet to find a man using it with the door open.

The woman, Bethan, took to social media to vent her anger at the charity after her visit to Tredegar House in Newport, South Wales.

"I was forced to use your 'gender neutral' toilets, I was walking my friends dog alone so had no choice but to take her with me," she wrote.

"First door I tried opened to reveal a man peeing without the door locked."

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She said she was "mortified" by the experience, and demanded: "Please tell me how your 'gender neutral' toilets are inclusive."

Her tweet got thousands of likes and she added: "I won't be renewing my membership."

Another Twitter user responded saying: "I don’t want to go anywhere there is no single sex facility.

"Will not give them them my money for getting substandard facilities."

Many others have pledged not to renew their membership, and encouraged others to do the same.

Others have also shared their experience of the toilets, with one person saying the gender neutral loos made her young niece "extremely uncomfortable".

"I had to stand outside the door for my teenage niece, as she was extremely uncomfortable, as there were men waiting to use the same toilet," she wrote.

Another said the only facilities available in the house's cafe were gents, disabled and gender neutral, saying she had to walk back to the car park to use female-only toilets and accusing the charity of breaching the Equality Act.

However, others have defended the National Trust and indicated the presence of gender neutral toilets is not an issue.

"What exactly is the problem here?" Wrote one Twitter user.

"Asking because I truly don’t understand."

Another said: "Unisex toilets have been a feature of many London venues (eg Yo Sushi) since the early nineties.

"Never had an issue.

"Don't get your problem, quite honestly."

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The National Trust confirmed gender neutral toilets were introduced in the Tredegar House cafe during refurbishment.

"We have men’s, women's and accessible toilets near our visitor reception," said a spokesperson for the charity.

"We have put temporary signage up on the toilets at the [cafe]."

They added: "We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable experience when visiting Tredegar House."

The spokesperson also said they were "working to get" additional toilet facilities in the cafe.