Over the past several months three of Britain’s largest supermarket chains have announced plans to update the signage on their accessible toilet facilities to signs which include the wording “Not every disability is visible.”
The Independent reports that “the new signs will urge customers to remember not all disabilities are visible.
The signs are intended to make people with conditions like Crohn’s disease, autism, anxiety, and inflammatory bowel disease feel they can use disabled facilities without facing criticism from other shoppers.”
Supermarket giant ASDA was the first to make the announcement about the signs, followed by Tesco and Morrisons.
The initial introduction of the new signs at an ASDA store in Newark was inspired by the experience of artist Tonya Glennester and her five-year-old daughter Evalynn. According to The Independent “Ms Glennester assisted Evalynn, who has ADHD and autism, in using the disabled toilet in store, but was questioned on leaving the cubicle by another customer who said they ‘didn’t look disabled’. The national charity, Crohn’s and Colitis UK also launched a campaign last year to encourage supermarkets to change disabled toilet signs.
What do you think about the introduction of new signs on accessible toilet facilities? Should more businesses also do the same? Have you ever been confronted upon leaving an accessible toilet? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Twitter.
