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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Urinals again - sorry

32 replies

Slimthistime · 01/09/2017 11:17

Remember that thing about Berlin and female urinals - I think the consensus was a woman would never use them?

I can't say I spend much time thinking about urinals Grin

but a couple of things occurred to me yesterday as I was walking through Soho with a colleague (en route to a client meeting).

I thought that those dog awful pop urinals only appeared late night. But yesterday we were trying to dodge afternoon crowds and I passed very close to a man using one - I was not expecting that! Anyway, a "bleurgh" escaped from my mouth and my colleague said "well not bleurgh, they are a great idea but they need to make some that women can use".

And I said "hang on, do you mean you'd use one without a door?" (I should say, apologies if it makes me a pearl clutcher but I think it's revolting that they don't have doors and also they could have used the space for pop up loos that everyone can use but anyway)....

and she said "yes. I drink pints. I could make a lot of use out of those if they made them differently, they just need to change the design a bit and women can use them. I've peed in the street in desperation".

so there are women that would use them. Then again, I don't know if it makes me hugely old fashioned that i would like people of all sexes to just do their business behind a door.

on the sociological aspect, I find it really grim that we've reached a point of busy-ness and overcrowding in city centres that makes this necessary but what was wrong with a little set of public loos that could just be used by everyone? I did initially realise that men peeing in doorways on Friday and Saturday nights was a problem, but if these pop up urinals are just going to be in use all day, then we're effectively saying "hey guys, you can pee here in front of everyone, don't worry about finding a loo".

does anyone else find that grim? I don't want to go on my office lunchtime walk and find myself walking past banks of open urinals.

OP posts:
Slimthistime · 03/09/2017 14:10

Vestal - I was thinking specifically of these pop up toilets that cities have put in. I can see why they want to have those but I don't understand why they don't have a door.

treacle - I went to Kew Gardens and saw what looked like a group of parents telling their boys to wee by the toilet as opposed to in. When I went in the ladies, there was a cleaner there, I told her and she said "yes that happens - they don't even check to see if the bathroom's really busy". She seemed completely resigned to it.

OP posts:
allegretto · 03/09/2017 22:10

Slim - I live in northern Italy. We do actually have urinals along some roads, in fact once the bus I was on stopped at a red light and the driver got out for a pee (at a urinal Grin). 5000 euros is a ridiculous amount to have to pay. Peeing in the street is grim but sometimes you have to go!

Slimthistime · 03/09/2017 23:00

Allegretto, are they along city and town roads?

OP posts:
allegretto · 03/09/2017 23:03

Yes - very much so.

fakenamefornow · 03/09/2017 23:19

One stumbling block that might be difficult to overcome is just that male and female anatomy is just different. It's easier and quicker for men and boys to pee. They can also do it more discreetly even if they choose not to be discreet about it.

On the subject of washing, is it unhygienic for a man to not wash hands after peeing? If they go into a pop up cubicle, no doors to touch, not lid to lift, they only handle their penis? I know it might be an unpleasant thought, somebody has just handled their cock, then they shake your hand, but any actual health issues with that? Genuine question.

Datun · 04/09/2017 08:52

fakenamefornow

Just asked DH. He said he doesn't really understand the 'bar peanuts covered in urine' thing as it's completely unnecessary to get pee on your hands. But that shaking can occasionally do it, if you're not careful.

Women can't shake though. On the rare occasions where no loo roll has been forthcoming, I've had to just, well, sit and wait. Drip dry my friend calls it. Totally impractical for women.

MrsPear · 07/09/2017 11:27

You have the community toilet scheme - Google for your area. In my local town you can use mc Donald's and sainsburys - mc d's is always very clean but sainsburys is hit and miss.

As for those pop up urinals they are disgusting. As a mother of two boys - youngest 4 - they know they have to wait and find a public loo unless we are in the middle of know where then it is a bush.

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