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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

This is some BULLSHIT - female toilets at work

163 replies

HonestlyPromisely · 02/02/2022 06:28

Main building and separate smaller building

Smaller building (where I work) is very very old. Roughly 60 women and exactly TWO men work in there.

Female toilets are constantly blocked out of use. When this happens we have to traipse over to the main building. They’ve been out of action for two weeks now and maintenance have put an email around to say they will not be fixing them as building is due to be torn down in 6 mths and they will just keep breaking.

Women will have to walk over to main building (about 50m away) to use the loo

Why the fuck can’t the men go to the main building and we have the mens toilets which apparently work absolutely fine?! They have 3 cubicles and 2 urinals, we have 3 cubicles.

AIBU here? Shouldn’t the two men be asked to go over to the main building given there’s only bloody two of them?

OP posts:
OddSocksSparklyDocsandDungaree · 02/02/2022 11:20

@Googleplexian

Sorry but generally men and women's toilet needs are different. Treating men and women exactly the same does not equate to fair treatment as they have different anatomy and different needs.

A fifth to a quarter of child-bearing women will be on their period at the same time. Women take 2.3 times as long to go to the toilet than men. Many go to the toilet more often - particularly when pregnant and after childbirth.

Look at the book by Caroline Criado Perez, Invisible Women, Data Bias In A World Designed for Men.

Women either want it equal or they don't. I'm a woman. I've had a child. When I need a wee, I NEED a wee. Yet I wouldn't expect to be treat any different.
VanGoghsDog · 02/02/2022 11:25

Where are you going when the building is knocked down? Can you ask to move there now?

Toanewstart22 · 02/02/2022 11:25

Nice chance to stretch legs and get some fresh air
I’d be happy tbh

GatoradeMeBitch · 02/02/2022 11:30

I would be furious if the tables were turned, and they told the women that they had to sacrifice their toilets to the men.

If there were 60 men and 2 women, it wouldn't even have been a conversation...

But it's the other way around, so how dare 60 women inconvenience 2 penises. These awful women should be happy they even get to work at all, am I right? High five!

OddSocksSparklyDocsandDungaree · 02/02/2022 11:32

@GatoradeMeBitch

I would be furious if the tables were turned, and they told the women that they had to sacrifice their toilets to the men.

If there were 60 men and 2 women, it wouldn't even have been a conversation...

But it's the other way around, so how dare 60 women inconvenience 2 penises. These awful women should be happy they even get to work at all, am I right? High five!

Hmm
Toanewstart22 · 02/02/2022 11:35

Post on mumsnet
Or
Drop facilities a quick email to say that it would be more appropriate for the men to walk given the numbers or perhaps unisex toilets for the time being

Toanewstart22 · 02/02/2022 11:35

I wonder if the men could argue that there seems to be a very very clear bias in the recruitment of women in the company!Grin

Toddlerteaplease · 02/02/2022 11:36

Why not just use the mens? I would!

Toanewstart22 · 02/02/2022 11:40

@Toddlerteaplease

Why not just use the mens? I would!
Because where’s the unnecessary drama in that?
GatoradeMeBitch · 02/02/2022 11:41

Women either want it equal or they don't. I'm a woman. I've had a child. When I need a wee, I NEED a wee. Yet I wouldn't expect to be treat any different.

Pat on the head for you. What a good woman. Have a treat.

Toileting needs aren't equal between the sexes. I'm sure our fluffy candyfloss lady-brains can recognize that concept, no? Period hygiene and physical pregnancy symptoms are not things men need space and time to deal with.

OddSocksSparklyDocsandDungaree · 02/02/2022 11:42

@Toanewstart22 not to mention the men have THREE toilets AND TWO urinals! Totally unfair! Grin

GatoradeMeBitch · 02/02/2022 11:42

Because where’s the unnecessary drama in that?

Unnecessary drama until one or both of the male workforce complains.

And they probably will, because if they were decent people they'd have flagged up the obvious solution themselves.

SausageSoupSaturday · 02/02/2022 11:42

I suspect that if they went unisex they would be out of order pretty soon, too. Sounds like the plumbing isn't up to scratch. 50m isn't that far, but I wonder if there are any regulations about accessible toilets for disabled people which need to be looked at.

OddSocksSparklyDocsandDungaree · 02/02/2022 11:44

@GatoradeMeBitch

Women either want it equal or they don't. I'm a woman. I've had a child. When I need a wee, I NEED a wee. Yet I wouldn't expect to be treat any different.

Pat on the head for you. What a good woman. Have a treat.

Toileting needs aren't equal between the sexes. I'm sure our fluffy candyfloss lady-brains can recognize that concept, no? Period hygiene and physical pregnancy symptoms are not things men need space and time to deal with.

@GatoradeMeBitch Please don't patronise me. Period hygiene and physics pregnancy symptoms do not stop women walking 50m to the toilet.
Toanewstart22 · 02/02/2022 11:44

@GatoradeMeBitch

Because where’s the unnecessary drama in that?

Unnecessary drama until one or both of the male workforce complains.

And they probably will, because if they were decent people they'd have flagged up the obvious solution themselves.

I pity these two men

I can just imagine the squeaking and squawking that surround them day in and day out

They’d probably LOVE the walk to the other building

Toanewstart22 · 02/02/2022 11:45

Thankfully
It looks like @GatoradeMeBitch is ion the minority

girlmom21 · 02/02/2022 11:45

Toileting needs aren't equal between the sexes. I'm sure our fluffy candyfloss lady-brains can recognize that concept, no? Period hygiene and physical pregnancy symptoms are not things men need space and time to deal with.

I can confidently say that I've managed to walk 50m to a toilet when both pregnant and when on my period.

C8H10N4O2 · 02/02/2022 12:20

Women either want it equal or they don't. I'm a woman. I've had a child. When I need a wee, I NEED a wee. Yet I wouldn't expect to be treat any different.

Bully for you. That doesn't alter the fact that women as a group have different needs from men as a group or the fact that the company is in breach of the hygiene regulations and the loos are not suitable or configured for use as "gender neutral".

Unisex loos should have fully enclosed loos and sinks, despite many attempts to cost save and tell us otherwise.

OddSocksSparklyDocsandDungaree · 02/02/2022 12:22

@C8H10N4O2

Women either want it equal or they don't. I'm a woman. I've had a child. When I need a wee, I NEED a wee. Yet I wouldn't expect to be treat any different.

Bully for you. That doesn't alter the fact that women as a group have different needs from men as a group or the fact that the company is in breach of the hygiene regulations and the loos are not suitable or configured for use as "gender neutral".

Unisex loos should have fully enclosed loos and sinks, despite many attempts to cost save and tell us otherwise.

The different needs though don't stop women walking 50m to the toilet though! Hmm No wonder people say on here women aren't taken seriously when they're complaining about walking 50m!
VelvetChairGirl · 02/02/2022 12:32

just use the mens.

RedToothBrush · 02/02/2022 12:49

Apparently equality of the sexes, means that women are too fragile to walk 50 metres to the toilet whilst men aren't, according to this thread.

Its really quite depressing.

twoladsnow · 02/02/2022 12:52

@TheReluctantPhoenix

It is 50m outside! That is a long way if it is pouring and 2 degrees.

With 60 women and 2 men, men should have to compromise.

Name change fail?
RedToothBrush · 02/02/2022 12:53

The issue on this thread isn't really toilet inequality, which is what some are trying to make it into.

Its an OP who is too damn lazy to walk 50m, so is saying 'its unfair that the current remaining toilets with known issues with the sewage system' should remain men's toilets serving 2 blokes rather than walking to the main block.

RedToothBrush · 02/02/2022 12:55

It is 50m outside! That is a long way if it is pouring and 2 degrees

OMG All those women are going to get hypothermia and DIIIIEEEEE in the torrential rain over than huge distance.

Hmm
AndSoFinally · 02/02/2022 13:54

Why do the womens toilets keep getting blocked but he men’s dont?

Probably because there's only 2 of them using it!

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