To want equality of opportunity to go to the loo?

[HFJ]

Been meaning to drop this complaint in for a while. I am sick of queuing.

So, in most public places architects’ plans for washrooms allocate the same sq footage to men and women. Here’s why I think it’s unfair:

1. Fewer Women’s cubicles compared to how many men can use that urinal trough thing
2. Women have more ‘admin’ from clothing etc so take longer
3. Children have to go to the loo supervised by mothers, including those boys who are really too old but mum keeps dragging them in anyway
4. More likely to dither at the wash basins
5. It seems like Uncle Tom Cobley and his dog need to just stand around waiting in the vicinity, thus preventing swift entries and exits to said loos

Anyone else get irate by this? It’s worse this time of year

Men’s first means men have no excuse to be further along at the ladies. Safer all round. I really appreciate it!

The horror that are unisex loos seems to be popping up everywhere. Unsafe for women and girls as are loos that only pretend to be for women but let in a special caste of men.
Its a fight we had to win once before but - single sex only and yes we need more loos than men.

I read something about this year's ago. There was a study that found men on average take 30 seconds to pee, women take a minute. It's to do with how the bodies are designed. So if you're somewhere with equal numbers of men and women, you need double the number for women as men to ensure equity of access.

I don't understand 2, 3 is not necessarily true (I have sons and dh did most of it) and 4 is a choice - but fundamentally YANBU.

Hhm, you have not met my FiL. Old men take forever (prostate) and go frequently.

This is so encouraging to hear! I hope it becomes the norm.

Prof Clara Greed gives interesting talks about the bladder leash and how it affects some groups more than others.

I don't think it's this talk but both she and Caroline Criado Perez discuss the phenomenon of women trip-chaining and how this has an impact on not only transport and walkability but the need for access to adequately sized lavatories and facilities.

You're obviously taking the piss at this stage.

Men can shake to remove any droplets of wee so wiping is not necessary. Women do not have physiology that facilitates shaking. Thus a woman needs to wipe to remove the droplets. Removing droplets is generally a good idea to avoid smelling and to avoid getting a rash from having urine left on the skin.

We don't choose having periods. We don't choose having to undress from the waist down and sit instead of opening one zip and standing. We don't choose having to gather paper to wipe away urine instead of being able to "shake off". And we don't choose what all the women ahead of us in the queue do.

Exactly! Women can use their penises. Duh.

To the posters questioning this, please stop committing hate crimes.

Did you sleep through COVID? Would you want to shake hands with, or eat food prepared by, someone who had used the loo without washing their hands?

😂😂😂

😂

Ah, I hadn't realised that @pickledandpuzzled , thank you for clarifying, makes sense.

Women need to go more often?

I'm not sure women need to go more often but I guess if you factor in menstruation need then perhaps

I think in general yes. Though it evens out somewhat when the prostate years hit.

Well women def need a cubicle more often - pee, poo, period. The things like pregnancy and the after effects of childbirth make many women "frequent fliers".

You haven't hit menopause yet have you?

We could dissect and pontificate about the whys forever, but it's actually pointless.

Because the only relevant thing is that women clearly, visibly thanks to queues, need more loos than men. So supply more.

The reasons, (about ten of which are listed above, some people agree with, some don't) are kinda moot.

I do agree with you.

But men's loos also have their own problems.

Sometimes they don't even provide toilets/ cubicles, only a urinal.

My partner has a bowel condition and this is a massive problem for him, but also any man who needs a number 2!

I don't know why they do this but apparently it's not that uncommon, including in places where there are women's toilets which have of course been provided with cubicles.

Where is the dignity - what are you supposed to do if you have to go or have any kind of urgency?

So there are problems on both sides.

I'd also like to petition for squat toilets, especially in high use places. So much more hygienic and easier than trying to hover over a dirty toilet.

1. I'm not sure about the layout of men's toilets.
2. Men and women wear jeans and underwear so this is the same number and same items of clothing. A woman wearing a dress without tights can get ready for the toilet quicker than a man who has to unzip his jeans.
3. Men who are alone with their children have to take their children into the men's unless their daughter is old enough to go in the ladies alone. Also, what do you mean by a boy being 'too old' to go into the ladies? I would rather primary aged boys go into the ladies with their mum than to potentially be attacked in the men's if they go in by themself.
4. Dithering by the sinks won't cause a queue to build up outside the toilets.

You missed the only reason why the ladies toilet should be bigger and that's how women, especially those who've gone through pregnancy and childbirth, are injured down there and may need to use the toilet more frequently.

Women need to pull down the jeans and underwear. Men only need to unzip and, depending on the design of their underwear, either pull the penis out through the gap or push the top of the underwear down.

A woman wearing a longish dress needs to gather the dress up, ensuring it is not in danger of getting wee'd on, although a short dress is quite quick. However, she still has to pull the underwear down and then pull it back up again.

The injustice really comes into laser sharp focus around the lack of private spaces for baby changing and nursing children in a private place in public spaces.

There are almost no have sanitary places where you can change a baby and sit down if needs be to breastfeed your baby when you are out.

I remember many years ago literally choosing to take my one day off per week (i.e an afternoon outing) from work with the babies (one toddler one breastfeeding baby) at the local Mothercare superstore purely because it had a proper sit down place where you could nurse a baby and do nappy change. That is extremely rare to find in 2023 I think.