May 27th 2024
Last week we asked Curia Market Research to conduct a poll* on our behalf. We asked:
"Do you think that schools should ensure children have access to bathrooms and changing facilities that are categorised by biological sex?"
General Results
The general population response shows that people strongly agree that Sex Matters when providing bathroom and changing facilities in our schools, the results have been rounded hence the total of 101%
Results by voting preference
When the results are collated according to the voting preferences of the respondent there is a disturbing lack of care from Green party voters in this area, with only 26% expressing a wish for single sex facilities. This is in stark contrast to the other voters who sit within a relatively small range of 65% to 88%.
In New Zealand, our school boards are responsible for creating the policies that can ensure that your child has access to a safe and appropriate bathroom while at school.
This means:
Separate bathrooms and changing facilities for girls
Separate bathrooms and changing facilities for boys
Gender neutral bathrooms and changing facilities
Accessible bathrooms and changing rooms for disabled students that are also safe and appropriate
So what can you do?
Many schools are already providing single sex facilities - and some think they are but are not!
You can ask about their policies by writing to the school Board of Trustees (BOT). These questions are a good tool for making the BOT aware of their responsibilities too. Many BOT who allow students to use the bathroom that matches their self-declared gender identity do not consider the implications for all students.
Do you provide single sex bathrooms and changing facilities for all students?
Do you allow students to use the bathroom and / or changing facility that aligns with their gender identity?
If the answer to Q 2 is 'Yes', do you understand that this policy means that your facilities are not single sex? Have you informed the school community that you do not provide single sex bathrooms and / or changing facilities? Did you consult with the community on this issue?
Do you provide gender neutral bathrooms and changing facilities that are safe and appropriate for all students?
Do you provide accessible bathrooms and changing facilities that that are safe and appropriate for disabled students?
Contacting your BOT is easy, anyone can do it and your email or letter will be read and possibly discussed at a BOT meeting, the BOT are obliged to respond to you too. Most school websites will contain information on how to contact the BOT - it's often something like chair@myschool.nz.
We hope that these poll results will confirm for you that you are not alone in wanting to insist on safe and appropriate facilities for our children and young people.
*The poll was conducted by Curia Market Research Ltd for Speak Up For Women. It is a random poll of 1,000 adult New Zealanders and is weighted to the overall adult population. It was conducted by phone (landlines and mobile) and online between 19 May and 21 May 2024, it has a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.1.