Barry Soper: The gender-bending question for schools

Dunedin North Intermediate students model their school uniform options available for both boys and girls. Photo / File

At first glance it was hard not to gain the impression that the world's going mad, or at the very least political correctness is up the wazoo.

We're told they're going to take the gender out of the equation when it comes to our kids at school - which left the impression they'll be graduating not knowing whether they're Arthur or Martha.

Calming down after the initial reaction, when it comes to school uniforms, the Post Primary Teachers' Association has got a very good point: they want gender neutral uniforms.

Bill English was asked about it and you could hear the cringe in his voice at the thought of boys wearing skirts (which is not generally the case at all, although it's possible).

It seems it's more about girls not wanting to wear skirts so they can kick a ball around the paddock with the best of them.

The only problem with freedom of choice uniforms, whether they're tailored or not, defeats the whole point of them. That poor kids can look the same as the toffs, there's no differentiation based on wealth.

It's when the argument gets to unisex toilets that it gets more complicated and absurd with one young woman, who successfully fought the uniform battle in Wellington, just showing how silly it can get. She said by having two toilets, going into one or the other is a political statement, which is of course nonsense.

The toilet issue has divided nations around the world. In the United States, Donald Trump, the man who is so sensitive about the women's rights, asked a judge to overturn an Obama initiative ensuring the rights of transgender individuals to use a toilet that aligns with their gender identity.

If education institutions didn't comply they ran the risk of losing their federal funding.

The debate still rages but for once I find it difficult to argue with Trump.

Kids at school, particularly in their teenage years, have enough trouble coming to grips with the hormones racing through their bodies without being confused, or worried, about which toilet they can use in private.

It's something they shouldn't have to contemplate, let alone try to cope with the politics their decision may signal.

But a warning to those who are contemplating switching to a male toilet, the sort that many schools have with a sheet of stainless steel over a trough at ground level that they call a urinal.

Try standing there in shorts and jandals and feel the spray bouncing off the wall from the individual standing next to you.

At least a unisex toilet has bowls and cubicles. So forget the political statement - go for the sanitary one.