Etihad Stadium promotes diversity during Pride Game with all-gender toilets

MEN and women are sharing toilets at Etihad Stadium after the loos were made accessible to all genders during the Saints v Swans pride match. Some have supported the move towards inclusion, while others claim it’s a step too far.

Etihad Stadium has opened all-gender toilets for footy fans at tonight’s pride game between the Saints and the Swans. Picture: Getty

FOOTY fans at last night’s AFL match at Etihad Stadium were told to use toilets that “best fits your gender identity or expression.’’

In what is believed to be an AFL first, traditional male and female toilets were also marked with signs saying “gender diversity is welcome here”.

It was left up to footy fans to choose which to use based on their “gender identity”.

RELATED CONTENT:

CALL GROWS FOR SPECIAL AFL PRIDE ROUND

PRIDE GAME HELPS MAKE STRIDES

AFL SLOW ON GAY RIGHTS, SAYS BALL

Etihad Stadium is flush with pride tonight ... #AFLSaintsSwans pic.twitter.com/r9UpYcy3I4

— Sam Landsberger 🗯 (@SamLandsberger) June 9, 2018

An additional five toilet blocks usually reserved as disabled or for baby change were declared gender neutral for the Pride clash between St Kilda and Sydney.

Electronic signs pointed patrons to those toilet blocks.

The move sparked heated reaction from fans online, with one saying “the world has totally gone insane’’, while another declared that the AFL should stick to football.

The Saints wore rainbow guernseys to support pride round. Picture: Michael Klein

The Sunday Herald Sun requested comment from the league about the changes to the men’s and women’s toilets, but were referred to the St Kilda Football Club.

The Saints, beaten by 71 points last night, said they introduced the gender-diverse toilets after “feedback” from the first match in 2016.

MORE:

PUSH FOR GENDER-NEUTRAL TOILETS IN COMMUNAL PLACES

WE’RE FLUSH WITH UNI-SEX LOOS

GENDER-NEUTRAL LOOS ARE A WEE BIT CONFUSING

Pride Game founder Jason Ball said it was a “pretty special” thing for the stadium, AFL and clubs to support.

“It is a pretty simple thing that most people take for granted — to be able to use the bathroom — but it is important for the gender diverse, trans or non-binary community to have an option where they feel safe,” he said.

The AFL and St Kilda were heavily criticised by footy fans last night, who labelled the gender-diverse toilets as “politically correct”. “The world has reached peak level stupidity,” one Twitter user wrote.

Another said it had “gone too far”, while a third said they were “not sure what to think about this”.

Footy isn’t what it used to be (and that’s a very good thing). #PrideGame pic.twitter.com/UO47RJ2Eyl

— Paul Kidd (@paulkidd) June 9, 2018

But Mr Ball said the use of the toilets “doesn’t really affect” those who criticised the signs. “Anyone who is criticising it is still able to use the toilet they want to use,” he said.

“Trans women are women and trans men are men and they’re entitled to use women’s and men’s toilets too.

“No-one is going inside a cubicle with anyone else so a lot of fears are based on some pretty damaging and negative stereotypes about trans people.”

St Kilda first launched the Pride Game in 2016 to support the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer community.

On Sunday, footy personality Sam Newman said he doesn’t have a problem with unisex toilets at AFL matches, but thinks toilets shouldn’t become a battleground for political correctness.

The Footy Show host Newman said he supported the toilets but questioned why they were being referred to as “gender diverse”.

“There’s no need for this virtue signalling — just say they’re unisex and everyone’s welcome,” Newman said.

[e-mail]

@moniquehore