A 79-year-old man visiting a castle near Lake Windemere was left stunned after discovering vegan tampons placed in the men’s toilets by the National Trust.
A large box hanging from a wall was pictured, positioned next to the urinals, at the men toilets at Sizergh Castle in the Lake District.
The case packed with free tampons read: ‘Got a period situation going on? We got you.’ A disposal bin with a male icon was also located nearby.
However, the presence of pads and tampons in the male toilets, left one 79-year-old visitor feeling ‘confused’.
The disgruntled pensioner also pointed out there were mixed facilities nearby as well as a female only toilet.
And while he ‘appreciate[d];’ prostate bins in men’s urinals as well as pads, he was left surprised to be greeted by a green bin asking about ‘period problems’
‘And I went outside and put my head outside the door. I wanted to check if I had used the wrong toilet,’ he told The Telegraph.
‘I was confused and it led to a great deal of discussion with my wife and friends as to why tampons and pads were put into the gents.
‘I think it needs explaining as to what this policy means.’
The sanitary box was supplied by Dame, a firm which focuses on sustainable period products, which also states none of their products are derived from animals.
In September, the National Trust partnered with the firm, stating it would allow them to ‘deliver period dignity sensitively, [and] sustainably.’
The sustainable period product firm also said its instillations do not damage toilets and have sparked a ‘positive visitor and staff response’.
They also said their product had ‘strengthened the National Trust’s inclusive and sustainable visitor experience.’
Both trust and gender-critical groups have hit out at the recent discovery, with Cornelia van der Poll, Restore Trust campaign group co-founder, saying the National Trust’s role was to preserve historic buildings, ‘not to provide sanitary products’.
‘The National Trust is becoming embroiled in gender controversies.’ she added.
‘The purpose is ostensibly to welcome everyone, but actually it is just alienating more people than it welcomes and it’s wholly unnecessary.’
Elsewhere, CEO of Sex Matters, Maya Forstarter said it would ‘never’ be appropriate to have both tampons and urinals in the same toilets, before suggesting the policy was ‘misguided’ and unlawful.
It comes after the Supreme Court ruled the legal definition of a woman was based on biological sex in April of this year.
A spokesperson for transgender support group, the Beaumont Society, argued the presence of sanitary products in the male toilets was ‘entirely reasonable’, as both men and trans men would use such facilities.
‘The fact that the man was confused whether they could be used for prostate pads, of course they can, they are sanitary disposable facilities,’ they said before adding that condom machines were commonplace in female toilets.
They noted while condoms weren’t related to trans inclusion, they allow women to decide to have protected sexual activity, highlighting that the presence of such products in female spaces doe not cause any ‘confusion’.
A National Trust spokesperson: ‘Due to the variety of places in our care, including listed historic buildings and remote car parks, and the needs of different visitors, we don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to toilets.
‘We try to accommodate the needs of all visitors by offering a variety of facilities and hygiene products.
‘We are committed to ensuring our policies and practices align with the recent Supreme Court judgement.
‘We’re currently reviewing our existing policies to ensure compliance with the law and are awaiting the final EHRC guidance before finalising our approach.
‘It remains a key priority for us to be an inclusive organisation where everyone who visits, volunteers and works feels welcome and respected at all times.’
