1. Should schools make all
their toilets unisex?
Teachers – we strongly recommend you read the “background notes for teachers” in the debate kit before starting the debate. You may even wish to share some of this information with students before the debate lesson. You can find additional resources, activities and references at debate.imascientist.org.uk/privacy-resources/

2. Starter – Think, pair, share
How do we define biological sex?
What does gender mean to you?
Where does gender come from?
Teachers – we strongly recommend you read the “background notes for teachers” in the debate kit before starting the debate. You may even wish to share some of this information with students before the debate lesson. You can find additional resources, activities and references at debate.imascientist.org.uk/privacy-resources/

3. Starter – Think, pair, share
Does gender mean the same thing to you as to your parents/carers?
Do you think gender means the same thing wherever you are in the world?
Teachers – we strongly recommend you read the “background notes for teachers” in the debate kit before starting the debate. You may even wish to share some of this information with students before the debate lesson. You can find additional resources, activities and references at debate.imascientist.org.uk/privacy-resources/

4. Should schools make all their toilets unisex?
Yes No
Don’t know
Take a vote online and share your class thoughts: surveygizmo.eu/s3/ /Unisex-Toilets-Debate-Kit
You can come back to this online survey throughout the debate.

5. Characters Yes No Nikki – Trans teen Silver – Sci-fi author
Schools should make all
their toilets unisex:
Nikki – Trans teen
Silver – Sci-fi author
Joe – Husband
Robin – Librarian No
Schools should not make all
their toilets unisex:
James – Police officer
Caitlin – Allergy sufferer
Brett – Concerned father
Emily – Teenage girl
Note – Please remove any characters you do not wish to use in the debate. Keep an even number of “yes” and “no” characters for a balanced debate. The 4 top characters should be the minimum.

6. What are your first thoughts of this person?
Main debate
Split into groups (one for each character card).
1. Take a few minutes in your group to read your character card.
What are your first thoughts of this person?

7. Main debate
2. One person from each group reads out their first section to the rest of the class (stop before the fact).
What are your thoughts on the characters?
Pause the debate and do another online vote:

8. Do the facts change the way you think?
Main debate
3. One person from each group reads out their fact to the rest of the class.
Do the facts change the way you think?

9. Any different feelings?
Main debate
4. One person from each group reads out their issue to the rest of the class.
Any different feelings?

10. What might the character’s response be?
Main debate
5. Each group asks their question to the character of their choice.
Note — Character list on next slide if needed.
What might the character’s response be?

11. Characters Yes No Nikki – Trans teen Silver – Sci-fi author
Schools should make all
their toilets unisex:
Nikki – Trans teen
Silver – Sci-fi author
Joe – Husband
Robin – Librarian No
Schools should not make all
their toilets unisex:
James – Police officer
Caitlin – Allergy sufferer
Brett – Concerned father
Emily – Teenage girl
Note – Please remove any characters you do not wish to use in the debate. Keep an even number of “yes” and “no” characters for a balanced debate. The 4 top characters should be the minimum.

12. Do another online vote:
What do you think?
Do another online vote:
Discuss your views as a class.

13. What do you think? Write a sentence to show your opinion.
“I think schools should/shouldn’t have unisex toilets because… ”
“I think … is the most important thing to think about.”

14. Want more?!
For additional resources, student activities and references, go to:
debate.imascientist.org.uk/unisex-toilets-resources