In a public letter addressed to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, five teenage girls, ranging in age from 13 to 15, have urged him to maintain single-sex restroom facilities in

schools to safeguard the well-being and dignity of female students.

Expressing their concerns, the students, who have chosen to use their first names only due to potential backlash from transgender activists, implored Rishi Sunak to confront this issue directly as the government prepares to issue long-awaited guidelines on transgender matters in educational settings.

The girls, identified as Cynthia, Marilyn, Sonja, Olivia, and Ellie, underscored that single-sex restrooms constitute a critical aspect of safeguarding within schools. They cautioned that many educational institutions had begun to introduce mixed-gender restrooms without proper consultation, a move purportedly to accommodate transgender and Left-wing activists.

Emphasizing the viewpoint of numerous female pupils, the five young advocates asserted that mixed-gender toilets often created feelings of intimidation, humiliation, and even potential danger. They implored Mr. Sunak, a father of two daughters, to uphold their rights.

In their letter, the students stated, "There is no valid justification for introducing unsafe and uncomfortable spaces in schools. It is the government's responsibility to ensure that restroom facilities in schools are secure and dignified."

The letter highlighted a distressing trend where girls were so uncomfortable with the mixed-gender restrooms that they opted not to use them, thereby risking health issues like urinary tract infections. The decision to write to Prime Minister Sunak was prompted by an online petition initiated by one of the girls, which garnered nearly 12,000 signatures, urging the preservation of single-sex spaces in schools.

The students referenced an incident at a school in Southampton, where protests erupted against the introduction of "gender-neutral" toilets, alleging that boys were taking inappropriate photographs of girls within these facilities. Another incident was mentioned involving a male student who was arrested after allegations of sexual assaults in mixed-gender toilets at an Essex school.

The girls also stressed that sharing restrooms with boys could be particularly distressing for female students during menstruation. They stated, "Girls require private spaces where they can address these matters with dignity, free from potential embarrassment caused by boys and the discomfort of having their menstrual cycle exposed."

Cynthia, 15, shared her experience of encountering as many mixed-gender toilets as single-sex ones in her secondary school. She criticized the unsanitary conditions of the mixed-gender facilities and described instances of inappropriate behavior.

Marilyn, 14, a student at a school with only one set of restrooms for girls and boys, and an additional mixed-gender restroom, expressed that girls often felt unsafe around older boys, leading to a sense of intimidation.

As schools increasingly adopt mixed-gender restrooms, supported by the advice of transgender advocacy groups, the government has begun to counter this trend. Recent regulatory changes stipulate that all new school buildings must provide separate single-sex restrooms for both genders. However, the forthcoming transgender guidelines for educators have yet to provide clarity on the matter of gender-neutral restrooms in schools.

Labour MP Rosie Duffield called on the government to publish the guidelines, advocating for the respect of students' privacy and dignity through the provision of single-sex spaces.

As of now, the government has not issued a response to the request for comment.