Toilets and changing rooms—mundane fixtures of daily life—have become the latest battleground in the United Kingdom’s ongoing debate over gender, rights, and the interpretation of recent landmark court rulings. In both Edinburgh and Wiltshire, local governments are grappling with the aftermath of two major legal decisions that have upended established practices around single-sex and gender-neutral facilities in public buildings, particularly schools and leisure centers.
On September 1, 2025, Edinburgh city councillors were set to review a report revealing that toilets at Maybury Primary School are now out of compliance with regulations following two pivotal court rulings on gender. According to STV News, the report details that several other primary schools will also need to adapt, making staff toilets available to pupils where gender-neutral options are not present. The city’s secondary schools and most primary schools are already compliant, but the path forward for those lagging behind is far from straightforward.
The regulatory shake-up began in April when the UK Supreme Court ruled that, for the purposes of anti-discrimination law, trans women are not legally women. The ruling sent ripples through the education sector and prompted the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to issue new guidance: trans women should not access women’s toilets, and trans men should not access men’s toilets. The guidance left many wondering about the legality of mixed-sex (or gender-neutral) toilet blocks, a once-common solution for inclusive design.
Complicating matters further, the Scottish Court of Session ruled in the same month that mixed-sex toilets are not allowed in Scottish schools. In response, Edinburgh City Council began a review of its school estate, with a focus on compliance and student wellbeing. The report, as seen by councillors, confirms that at Maybury Primary, toilet provision will be managed by the school’s leadership until a long-term fix is identified. For some schools, the solution will be as simple as fitting locks to the external doors of washbasin areas, converting them into de facto gender-neutral spaces. For others, more extensive renovations will be necessary.
Meanwhile, work is already underway to ensure that new schools under construction—including Trinity Academy, Liberton High School, and Wester Hailes High School—will be built or modified to comply with the new legal landscape. The report also notes that while most of the Scottish Government’s guidance on accommodating transgender pupils remains valid, areas such as toilets, changing facilities, physical education, and residential trips will require updates to align with the latest court interpretations.
As Edinburgh wrestles with the logistics of compliance, a political storm has erupted further south in Wiltshire. There, the debate over single-sex spaces and the rights of trans individuals has taken on a decidedly public—and personal—tone. In a viral video posted to YouTube, anti-transgender activist Kellie-Jay Keen confronted Wiltshire Council’s deputy leader, Mel Jacob, pressing her on the council’s stance regarding women’s rights and the definition of a woman.
The 18-minute exchange, which Jacob later described as an ambush, saw Keen ask, “I’m going to ask you about the law and Wiltshire Council and whether or not you’re going to provide single sex spaces for women. And that a woman is an adult human female.” Jacob responded, “From my point of view a woman is a person who identifies as a woman and what we’re doing as Wiltshire Council is providing unisex toilets where possible.” When pressed further on who is allowed in a woman-only toilet or changing room, Jacob replied, “If people identify as a woman I’m not going to be challenging people and telling them they can’t go into any particular toilet. Obviously I want women to be safe and women to have their rights, but I feel the same for all other people. For me the future is about having unisex toilets so we’re not busy dividing communities up into this and that. We’ve got a unisex toilet and anyone can use it.”
Keen cited the recent Supreme Court ruling to argue that the law now requires councils to provide single-sex spaces based on biological sex, not gender identity. The activist also raised concerns about the provision of family-friendly unisex “changing villages” at the new Trowbridge Leisure Centre, alleging “multiple sexual assaults” had occurred in such settings—though these claims remain unsubstantiated in the public record.
The video quickly drew attention from political quarters. Reform UK, a party with a growing voice in local government, called for “urgent clarification of council policy on single-sex spaces, school and public toilets, and adult social care.” Ed Rimmer, Reform UK’s leader at Wiltshire Council, stated, “Wiltshire residents deserve absolute clarity that women and girls can access single-sex spaces, and that safeguarding—not ideology—comes first. Hearing the deputy leader define a woman as ‘a person who identifies as a woman’ and express no intention to challenge males entering female toilets will alarm many residents. It is staggering that the council’s second-in-command could not confirm basic protections for women, girls and vulnerable service-users.”
In response, Wiltshire Council leader Ian Thorn issued a statement emphasizing the council’s commitment to both legal compliance and inclusivity. “Wiltshire Council has completed a comprehensive review of its facilities following the Supreme Court judgement on 17 April 2025, which clarified that the definition of ‘sex’ under the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex. We are taking steps to ensure our facilities are legally compliant whilst also ensuring our spaces support the needs of all staff and service users in a respectful and inclusive way,” Thorn said. He added that the council is expanding gender-neutral options across its estate while retaining single-sex spaces, aiming to ensure “all staff, residents, and service users feel safe and supported.”
The council also clarified that residents who receive social care support are consulted about their preferences, including the sex of those providing care, and that the Trowbridge Leisure Centre will offer both unisex and single-sex changing facilities. Thorn stressed that the legal clarification “does not affect the protections afforded under the ‘gender reassignment’ characteristic of the Equality Act,” reaffirming the council’s support for trans and non-binary individuals and its commitment to ongoing review and adaptation of policies.
The debate has not been without personal cost. Following the interview, Jacob reported a backlash on social media, some of it spurred by Keen’s remarks. The council noted that the video of the deputy leader was recorded without her consent during a community engagement event, urging the public to respect the context in which the exchange took place and to maintain constructive and respectful dialogue.
As both Edinburgh and Wiltshire navigate these choppy legal and political waters, one thing is clear: the issue of toilets and changing rooms is about much more than plumbing. It’s a flashpoint for broader questions about identity, inclusion, and the meaning of equality in modern Britain. The legal rulings may have provided some clarity, but the search for practical, compassionate solutions—ones that balance safety, dignity, and respect for all—is far from over.
