Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Is this embarrassing

68 replies

Intonational · 11/02/2017 13:03

At work there are general male and female toilets and also a disabled toilet people go into for more privacy. Went into disabled one and was just standing in front of mirror to do my makeup when company boss walked in on me and looked embarrassed. He could see I was standing up facing mirror and fully dressed though. I just said it was fine and he went away. What should I have said? Do I look like a weirdo now?!

OP posts:

pregnantat50 · 11/02/2017 13:50

I am guessing this is the only toilet with a mirror, so Op was using it for her make up. I suspect boss wanted to do a number 2 and the privacy of the disabled loo covers sounds and smells that a conventional cubicle with gaps at top and bottom of the door don't hide.

I wouldn't be embarrassed from either view point.

Where I work there is only 2 women (me and another lady) one day she went in there and there was piss on the seat and floor..she came out complaining about it...(it wasn't me!) in the end we both decided it was one of the male employees but I am still worried she secretly thinks it was me! ...now that is embarrassing.

Also when I need to do a poo, the toilet rarely flushes fully with anything more than one sheet of paper, and so I have to wait and do at least 2 more flushes...whilst worrying she will walk in and wonder whats going on...

Milliepede · 11/02/2017 13:51

I have a non visible disability. I once came out of a disabled loo to be confronted by a very shouty wheelchair user ranting about the able bodied me using "their" loo. Twat.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 11/02/2017 13:55

It's thoroughly inconsiderate to use it??

Jesus lady, what planet are you on!

It's a loo fgs, who are you to decide if the op's use of it is inconsiderate or not? We all do different things in the loo, as we are all individual

I am amazed that anyone cannot see that the OP's behaviour is inconsiderate.

The OP has not said she has any disability; unless of course she also suffers from Gwenyfhar's mysterious"other women seeing me put my foundation on" phobia.

If she does, she might try getting over it.

SuperFlyHigh · 11/02/2017 13:56

I wouldn't think anything more of it unless your boss has a disability hidden or otherwise.

And you're both in the wrong if you use it for uses like privacy really as in men's toilets there are also cubicles to use if he wanted a crap!

I just don't see why you couldn't use the washroom part of the women's toilet area to put makeup on!

SuperFlyHigh · 11/02/2017 13:57

And as Cara says why didn't you lock the door?! For a variety of reasons...

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 11/02/2017 14:01

I am guessing this is the only toilet with a mirror

I think that is highly unlikely.

gamerchick · 11/02/2017 14:04

Ah it was posted to kick off a able using disabled. Damn walked into that one

LolaTheDarkdestroyer · 11/02/2017 14:08

Yeah I would be embarrassed it's a disabled loo, you were being a cheeky fucker.

tiredofhavingtothinkofnewnames · 11/02/2017 14:14

Hmm. I suggest not a true story.

The mirrors in disabled loos are very low- as they are aligned with the sinks and so are designed for wheelchair access. To look in a mirror for make up you would have to be kneeling or crouching.

Megatherium · 11/02/2017 14:16

Strugglingstepdad, I'm on this planet, which one are you on? Are you seriously contending that it is considerate to use the accessible toilets given that you may be preventing someone who genuinely needs it due to disability from doing so? Particularly when you are using them to put make-up on?

Original poster

Intonational · 11/02/2017 14:17

Haha no it's true why would I lie

OP posts:

Original poster

Intonational · 11/02/2017 14:18

The mirror is bigger and easier to apply makeup in

OP posts:

HuckleberryGin · 11/02/2017 14:19

We only have two toilets to work, one is accessible. So we all use both.

wonkylegs · 11/02/2017 14:21

Millepede I've had that too, worst time I came out of the loo with my little boy. I had to use it (I cannot get up from the seat without the supports due RA in my hips) but had to take him with me as He was too small to leave alone. I was shouted at with some incredible language from the partner of the waiting wheelchair user, obviously not that desperate as they spent about 5 mins shouting at me.
I have sympathy for the difficulties of being in a wheelchair as I used one and then sticks until I got my condition under control and still lapse to needing crutches but I've come to realise that just as in all aspects in life just because someone is disabled that doesn't stop them being a dick sometimes.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 11/02/2017 14:22

The mirror is bigger and easier to apply makeup in

Oh well, - that explains everything. Of course you would want to hog it over the needs of anyone else.

Gwenhwyfar · 11/02/2017 14:23

"Surely anyone with a hang-up about putting foundation on in front of other people does so before they leave home in the morning?"

99% of the time, yes, but sometimes I'm in a hurry or have to touch up.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 11/02/2017 14:24

99% of the time, yes, but sometimes I'm in a hurry or have to touch up

Still not a disability.

OverTheHill50 · 11/02/2017 14:26

When I worked in a corporate office I used to use disabled loo as it was the only one with a sink in the same part as the loo.
If you have your period and are using a mooncup that privacy may be important... but it's not a disability, so is it wrong in that situation??

SansComic · 11/02/2017 14:27

It's just a disabled access loo. It's a normal loo for anyone to use, it's just made more accessible for disabled people. They aren't just there for disabled people only.

This.

Unless you were making the stupid mouth-open face I do when putting makeup on your eyes, you've nothing to worry about.

Gwenhwyfar · 11/02/2017 14:28

"An inability to put make up on in front of other women is not a disability."

Neither is IBS. Neither is crying, which is what I used the disabled toilet for in a previous job, or secret phone calls to try to get another job.

daisypond · 11/02/2017 14:29

Do you not need to have a special key/fob to access the disabled loo? At my workplace the disabled loo would be out of bounds because we don't have the key.

harderandharder2breathe · 11/02/2017 14:32

Yabvvvu for using the disabled toilet to apply make up. Regardless of having hidden disabilities, you weren't using the toilet part, if you had been and then touched up make up, you would've had the door locked

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 11/02/2017 14:33

If you have your period and are using a mooncup that privacy may be important... but it's not a disability, so is it wrong in that situation??

Many moon cup users say they simply wipe it and put it back or they take a small bottle of water in with them to rinse it. Most women changing any sort of sanitary product will have their handbag with them and you could carry tissues/ bottle with you.

If your periods are particularly heavy and require cleaning up, then I think it would be fair that you cross the line between "wants" and "needs", but otherwise no, I don't think it justifies using the disabled toilet.

MichaelJacksonsGlove · 11/02/2017 14:35

The argument for the mirror being short is a bit silly. Not every disabled person uses a wheelchair! Plus our disabled toilet at work have a full length mirror.

I actually think it's ok to do what she did and sensible to leave the door open. That way when someone wants to use it she knows and can excuse herself.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 11/02/2017 14:35

"An inability to put make up on in front of other women is not a disability."

Neither is IBS. Neither is crying, which is what I used the disabled toilet for in a previous job, or secret phone calls to try to get another job

Severe IBS is. None of your other examples are and none of them justify using the disabled toilet.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread