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Desegregation of Toilets Soon?

Some days after the 20 April SRC meeting, notices were circulated throughout the University advising that "the Executive Committee, acting on the recent decision of the SRC, announce that as from Monday 4th May. 1970, the toilets in all University buildings will not be segregated." It was hoped, the notice said, that students would use their. "utmost discretion in this matter." The notice was signed "for Margaret Bryson, President."

This notice has since been disclaimed by Miss Bryson who says it was a hoax. However, she insists that the original SRC motion was not, as some students have felt, a capping stunt. She says her reason for proposing the motion originally was that she "wanted to have the question of desegregation of the toilets examined."

Miss Bryson says that "first of all we have a crucial shortage of space—we could save space if toilet facilities could be made more compact. Secondly, I wasn't advocating indecent exposure; it would be perfectly easy to screen off the urinals. I don't see anything wrong in men and women using the same cubicles—as long as they're not using them at the same time. Thirdly, it is possible that the joint use of toilet facilities at social functions might ensure that those facilities were used in a civilised way."

The Management Committee has asked Miss Bryson to investigate the legal situation with regard to desegregation of the toilets. She says that the matter will again be raised at an SRC meeting to be held next Tuesday (2 June). In the meantime, however, the toilets have not been desegregated and there is no suggestion that those in buildings outside the Student Union Building will be desegregated.