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To be annoyed at the lack of bathrooms

855 replies

Applecharm25 · 20/01/2025 13:39

I have my period. I can feel that i need to change my tampon.

I'm out walking round my city. There are no public bathrooms anywhere near me.

I see a sign for a bathroom in a small shopping centre near me. I walk in. The bathroom is actually in a shop. I'm told that the bathroom is only available for paying customers.

So now I have to get in a long queue and wait further and buy something while I really need to change my tampon.

Surely there should be better toilet services available.

OP posts:
JoelleLane · 20/01/2025 16:14

Ghruch · 20/01/2025 13:57

I opened your post assuming you meant bathrooms (ie rooms with a bath or shower). The people who say ‘bathroom’ to mean toilet in this country probably spend too much time on American social media.

Or this post isveritten by/using AI.

BunnyLake · 20/01/2025 16:13

It’s been sometime since I had a period but I bet 99% of women will want a wee when changing their sanitary wear. The idea of just having a cubicle with no loo in it is ridiculous.

HPandthelastwish · 20/01/2025 16:13

@Tagyoureit I stand corrected- and may have fact checked you in my very yellow paged 25(!) year old GoF - literally had to blow the dust off it which is a good reminder to dust the books.

I'll hang my head in HP shame, not worthy of my username

MoonWoman69 · 20/01/2025 16:13

Could you just not have said you needed to find a toilet and that it was unreasonable that there aren't many where you are?! Would you have mentioned that you needed a massive shit?! No, I don't think you would, so why the need to furnish us with the intimate details, repeatedly?! 🙄

yipyipyop · 20/01/2025 16:11

Yeah I wouldn't want a period pad/tampon changing room. How weird. You'd still need somewhere to dispose of it and wash your hands so might as well use a toilet. If councils can't keep public toilets open they won't be adding extra facilities. I do agree that more toilets should be available though

Balloonhearts · 20/01/2025 16:11

Applecharm25 · 20/01/2025 15:15

Really. I've said I didn't need to wee multiple times.

And she keeps saying to me "why didn't you wee, why didn't you wee".

Like what the actual fuck is wrong with some people

Because this is a site for mums. A lot of us cannot remember what it was like to have a functional pelvic floor and some can't even sneeze without peeing so the idea of putting a tampon in without peeing first absolutely boggles the mind.

WhenSallymetBarry · 20/01/2025 16:11

@Applecharm25 If you're needing to change more than once every couple of hours, double up by using a pad as well, or even period pants as well as your tampon.

Tagyoureit · 20/01/2025 16:09

VickyEadieofThigh · 20/01/2025 16:08

I think we all know now what Myrtle was probably moaning about...

The lack of tampon specific changing facilities?

MellowTiger · 20/01/2025 16:08

Applecharm25 · 20/01/2025 15:44

No I don't sit on the loo. I change it standing up.

The same if I'm at home, I go in to my bathroom, and change it standing up.

So you use the bathroom at home? So you don’t actually need any changes - either shop elsewhere when on your period, which means a bus ride to where they have loos or shop local and change your tampon before you leave the house.

Autther · 20/01/2025 16:08

Multiple things in this thread are weird. I've never seen a pub or shop with a sign saying bathroom here. I'm never known a city centre with nowhere to go to the toilet, department store, supermarket, coffee shop, McDonald's? And if there's none of those things then it's not much of a city centre and why were you there?
It's just a period op, I've never had similar issues. When you're on your period you plan accordingly, it's not that hard.

VickyEadieofThigh · 20/01/2025 16:08

Tagyoureit · 20/01/2025 16:06

Moaning myrtle went to a different bathroom through the pipe work. She haunted the girls toilets that did not have an actual bath in.

I'll show myself out....

I think we all know now what Myrtle was probably moaning about...

BunnyLake · 20/01/2025 16:07

Applecharm25 · 20/01/2025 13:54

I just think they should have more services for women on their period too.

Seeing as I'm not actually going to use the toilet. They should have tampon changing rooms for women.

At least one in a town.

Of course that won't happen as periods don't happen to men!

I’m not sure every women wants to walk in to a public place marked ‘for periods only’.

HaddyAbrams · 20/01/2025 16:07

HPandthelastwish · 20/01/2025 15:59

@Peregrina yes Moaning Myrtles bathroom had the bath Harry used to open the Egg in Goblet of Fire

@Applecharm25 you may find this useful for all and any toileting needs in future Toilet Map

That was the prefects bathroom not Moaning Myrtles.

WhenSallymetBarry · 20/01/2025 16:07

Any shop or supermarket that has an in store cafe has to legally have a toilet for customers.

SnappyGreyLemur · 20/01/2025 16:07

Surely if your tampon needs changing urgently it is probably a while since you used a ‘bathroom’ so it’s probably prudent to have a wee, or if you had recently been to the toilet it may have been prudent to change your tampon at the same time.

Whippetlovely · 20/01/2025 16:07

Lol this thread is stupid, who cares about the word bathroom. People in the UK do use this word, it's sounds more polite than loo or toilet and restroom is what they say in the US. Who cares that's not what op is asking. There aren't many public toilets now because councils have closed most of them. To be honest you wouldn't really want to use them they are used by druggies and often are gross. The only answer is to use a pub or restaurant. I always go to toilet before I go out can normally wait a couple of hours before needing it again. The only issue I've ever had was when pregnant and I couldn't hold on, couldn't find a toilet I actually went in the law courts they let me in as felt sorry for me as I was so desperate. I can imagine this could be an issue though with ladies on menopause when they have very heavy periods that can just start very heavy. Not sure the answer maybe always wear a panty liner just in case but being caught unawares like that I imagine is quite horrible.

WiddlinDiddlin · 20/01/2025 16:07

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 20/01/2025 15:04

You can!
Accessible toilets don't require you to announce what you're intending to do in them.

Aye, but that takes up the space so actual disabled people can't get in and as the OP claims not to need a toilet, it seems rather unfair to then use the disabled toilet facilities to do this.

Also if you have your own RADAR key, and you use the facilities in a place where they keep them locked and hand out the key to those who ask for it, you're going to end up having someone opening the door on you, mid manouvre.

This is because most places that hand out keys will fit the RADAR lock the wrong way round allowing it to be unlocked from the outside even if a key was used to get in (fitted correctly you'd have to take a screwdriver or coin to it).

dynamiccactus · 20/01/2025 16:07

TheignT · 20/01/2025 16:06

Don't men need toilets? The men I know do, particularly the older ones. We need public toilets for men and women unless we want people just going on the street.

Men need toilets but it's much easier for them to nip behind a bush.

People who say women aren't in more need are being disingenuous.

Tagyoureit · 20/01/2025 16:06

HPandthelastwish · 20/01/2025 15:59

@Peregrina yes Moaning Myrtles bathroom had the bath Harry used to open the Egg in Goblet of Fire

@Applecharm25 you may find this useful for all and any toileting needs in future Toilet Map

Moaning myrtle went to a different bathroom through the pipe work. She haunted the girls toilets that did not have an actual bath in.

I'll show myself out....

RockingBabe9 · 20/01/2025 16:06

I've been caught out before a few times, went into a Costa, explained I will buy a coffee but can I just use the bathroom first? They always say yes, I go, and then queue for coffee.

I think it would be unreasonable to use facilities without buying something

butterpuffed · 20/01/2025 16:06

Another day in the life of Mumsnet 😅

dynamiccactus · 20/01/2025 16:06

Tagyoureit · 20/01/2025 16:01

So tampon changing facilities are made available so what happens when you need to change your tampon (not pad) and need a wee?

Will you complain that the tampon changing facilities do not cater to your need to wee?

I think so!

I don't use tampons but when I change a pad, I can guarantee I will need a wee as well.

Those of you saying it's not connected, I don't think you realise how close all the organs are!

TheignT · 20/01/2025 16:06

DPotter · 20/01/2025 14:02

Interestingly - the provision of public toilets for female use was seen as a move to enable greater freedom of movement for women, that and bicycles. Prior to public loo provision, women were tethered to places were they knew people and could ask to use their domestic facilities, or buy services from a hotel / tavern /inn.

Looks like we need to start campaigning again ladies. Something else our grandmothers thought they had sorted.

Don't men need toilets? The men I know do, particularly the older ones. We need public toilets for men and women unless we want people just going on the street.

WestwardHo1 · 20/01/2025 16:05

But society is perhaps not ready for us to adopt "shithouse".

😂

BunnyLake · 20/01/2025 16:05

Applecharm25 · 20/01/2025 13:52

No I'm in the UK.

What do you mean "bathroom" is not common. Everyone I know, says bathroom.

A woman even walked in after me, and asked where the bathroom is.

I find that people usually use the word bathroom in the UK if they're in ‘polite’ company and want to be less graphic than with family/friends.

We have a number of public loos in the local big town (M&S etc) and one where you have to pay (which I prefer to use as its always in good condition).

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