Gender-Neutral Toilet In Suntec Sparks Debate Online, Mall Says It’s Temporary

Gender-Neutral Toilet In Suntec Draws Negative Comments, Some Say It’s A Toilet For The Handicapped Too

Going to the toilet in Singapore is usually a mundane act that doesn’t bear mentioning.

The facilities in Suntec City, however, have drawn some attention online for being quite an unusual sight here — a gender-neutral toilet.

The mall has said that the designation of the toilet is only temporary, due to an event taking place there.

Photo of gender-neutral toilet in Suntec goes viral on Facebook

A photo of the toilet began circulating on Facebook on Wednesday (16 Aug), with the OP saying in the caption that “Singapore has gone crazy”.

The sign next to the toilet features a combination of the universal symbols for ‘male’ and ‘female’, as well as a message saying that the toilet “may be used by any person regardless of gender identity or expression”.

From the design of the carpet, the toilet appears to be at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Photo draws negative comments

The photo attracted a flood of negative comments from netizens.

When ended up on the @sgfollowsall Instagram page, some irate commenters warned against Singapore becoming like the United States (US).

Others called the “gender-neutral” description a “woke label” and questioned the need for it.

Some brought up the possibility of “paedophiles” or “perverts” taking advantage of this to look for victims. In February, an elderly man allegedly trapped a 12-year-old girl in a toilet stall in Bukit Panjang and asked her to perform an obscene act on him.

Netizens point out that it’s a handicapped toilet

Several netizens, however, pointed out that there’s a label indicating that the toilet is also for the handicapped. Such toilets, they noted, tend to be gender-neutral.

But a commenter wasn’t convinced, saying that it’s unnecessary to put up a “gender-neutral” sign for a handicapped toilet. They also accused the parties in charge of trying to spread “hidden messages”.

However, there were some positive messages as well. A user who described themself as non-binary was very appreciative of the toilet’s existence.

Another commenter reasoned that people have the option of using other, non-gender-neutral toilets in the mall. Thus, there’s no need to fuss if you’re uncomfortable with using the gender-neutral toilet.

Suntec gender-neutral toilet is temporary

Netizens won’t have to debate over this much longer. Suntec City’s building management told TODAY that the gender-neutral toilet is only temporary.

An event called Wikimania 2023, which is happening at the convention centre, had requested the temporary designation of one set of toilets in this manner, they said.

According to Wikimania’s website, the event will end on Saturday (19 Aug).

It’s organised by the Wikimedia East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Regional Cooperation (ESEAP), a regional collaborative comprising mostly users from East Asia, Southeast Asia and the ESEAP.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a non-profit organisation that operates Wikipedia and other projects.

The event professes to be inclusive for all attendees, with the gender-neutral toilet available “to accommodate all gender identities”.

Other provisions include a scent-free room for people with sensitivities or allergies to scents and providing meals for those with specific dietary restrictions.

Issue hotly debated across the world

Some netizens pointed out that the issue is similar to one that’s currently taking place in countries like the US, where gender-neutral toilets have prompted intense debate.

A few states have enacted “bathroom laws” restricting the bathrooms that transgender students can use in certain public places, NBC reported.

However, supporters of gender-neutral bathrooms have argued that the lack of these facilities would increase the likelihood of bullying of transgender people.

To be sure, gender-neutral toilets don’t just exist in the West. For example, Taiwan has had them for quite a while.

The public can find such restrooms in prominent locations like the airport and the Red House in Taipei.

While the debate on the issue is certainly welcome, let’s avoid being hurtful or abusive towards any party.

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Featured image adapted from Facebook and Google Maps.