Suntec City's brand sentiments plummet due to gender-neutral toilets

Netizens are up in arms after Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre set up a temporary toilet that was designated as 'gender neutral' with many stating that they found the move "shocking".

The toilet was reportedly a temporary one set up for Wikimania 2023 at the request of organisers, according to Channel News Asia. The event started this Wednesday and will go on till Saturday this week. Wikimania 2023 is a connference associated with Wikimedia Foundation which is an American non-profit body known for starting Wikipedia. The organisation is vocal about being inclusive to minority groups. 

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The conference itself boats core themes such as diversity, collaboration and the future. It noted in its site that the conference will be an opportunity showcase examples of inclusion to regional and thematic groups.

A picture of the temporary toilet, which was a converted female restroom with 11 cubicles, was posted online this week which resulted in a marked increase in volume of conversation surrounding Suntec City, according to media intelligence firm CARMA. Clearly though, netizens were upset.

A spokesperson from CARMA said that sentiments towards Suntec City were largely negative at 17.1% negative and 22.7% positive. Prior to the image being posted online, Suntec City saw 57.8% positive sentiments and only 13.5% negative ones. 

Interestingly, it was also observed that keywords associated with Suntec City prior to the incident surrounded food, it's services, it's atmosphere and more.

In the wake of images of the bathrooms circulating, associations regarding Suntec City dramatically shifted to its gender-neutral toilets with words such as gender, unisex, toilet and more coming up. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre for more information. 

Singapore has long been known to have more conservative views particularly when it comes to matters relating to the LGBTQ+ community. However, attempts have bene made in the last few years to be more inclusive and accepting as a community. In fact, in June this year, Singapore’s annual LGBTQ+ rally, Pink Dot released a moving campaign video ahead of its annual event which was held at Hong Lim Park.

Playing on the theme of celebrating all families, the video features non-traditional families that may be adopted, chosen or queer alongside biological families to emphasise the idea that families are not defined by what they look like on the outside, but rather by the love they share and the bonds one has chosen to forge. 

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