As one of the few explicitly gender-separated spaces, the toilet has become a prominent site of conflict and a focal point for ‘gender-critical’ feminism. In this article we draw upon an AHRC-funded project, Around the Toilet, to reflect upon and critique trans-exclusionary and trans-hostile narratives of toilet spaces. Such narratives include ciscentric, heteronormative and gender essentialist positions within toilet research and activism which, for example, equate certain actions and bodily functions (such as menstruation) to a particular gender, decry the need for all-gender toilets, and cast suspicion upon the intentions of trans women in public toilet spaces. These include explicitly transmisogynist discourses perpetuated largely by those calling themselves ‘gender-critical’ feminists, but also extend to national media, right-wing populist discourses and beyond. We use Around the Toilet data to argue that access to safe and comfortable toilets plays a fundamental role in making trans lives possible. Furthermore, we contend that – whether naive, ignorant or explicitly transphobic – trans-exclusionary positions do little to improve toilet access for the majority, instead putting trans people, and others with visible markers of gender difference, at a greater risk of violence, and participating in the dangerous homogenisation of womanhood.

中文翻译：

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厕所辩论：阻碍跨性别者的可能性并捍卫“女性受保护的空间”

作为少数明确区分性别的空间之一，厕所已成为冲突的突出场所和“性别批判”女权主义的焦点。在本文中，我们利用 AHRC 资助的项目“厕所周围”来反思和批评厕所空间的跨性别和跨敌对叙事。此类叙述包括厕所研究和激进主义中的顺从、异性恋和性别本质主义立场，例如，将某些行为和身体机能（如月经）等同于特定性别，谴责对全性别厕所的需求，并对跨性别女性在公共厕所空间的意图。这些包括明确的跨性别主义话语，主要由那些自称为“性别批判”女权主义者的人延续，但也扩展到国家媒体，右翼民粹主义言论及其他。我们使用“厕所周围”数据来论证，获得安全舒适的厕所在使跨性别生活成为可能方面发挥着重要作用。此外，我们认为——无论是天真、无知还是明显的跨性别者——跨性别者的立场对改善大多数人的厕所机会几乎没有作用，反而使跨性别者和其他具有明显性别差异标记的人面临更大的暴力风险，并且参与危险的女性同质化。