King's College faces backlash over gender-neutral toilet signs amid new EHRC code

King's College, part of Cambridge University, has come under fire for its restroom signage that omits “male” and “female” labels, instead displaying “cubicles” and “cubicles/ urinals.” The change, implemented years ago following recommendations from a campus LGBT+ group, has been highlighted now that the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s new code, which reinforces a Supreme Court ruling that “sex” means biological sex, became effective in August.

An unnamed alumna accused the college of yielding to trans activists and fostering a hostile environment for supporters of biological-sex definitions, while Helen Joyce of Sex Matters called the signs the “worst of both worlds.” King's College responded that the signs have existed for several years and that the institution provides a range of single-sex and gender-neutral toilets across the campus. The controversy coincides with broader political debate, including Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey’s call to scrap the EHRC guidance.