Uncomfortable about unisex toilets at work

[Onlyinanemergency]

My workplace is moving to new premises and all the toilets are to be unisex. Apparently the bathrooms consist of several floor-to-ceiling cubicals opening out onto shared sinks. There is then a large window onto a public corridor so that the sink area can be seen from outside the bathroom. There are 3 of these bathrooms, one on each floor of the building, as well as 3 single disabled toilets. The architects have obviously put a lot of thought into creating toilets which are unisex but also fairly safe and private, yet I still feel really uncomfortable about the idea. Particularly about not being given a choice. Am I wrong?

What pratchet said

Everything used to work fine with the exception of not enough female toilets

Personally

And i know ive said it before...id like either individual toilets where possible (like a cafe) or urinals, female and gender neutral

Youll find me in whichever cubicles have the smallest queue

in case you hadn't noticed this isn't actually a trans thread, although one or two posters have certainly posted as if it were

Gaslighting. There is one reason, and one reason only, why toilets are moving to mixed sex, and that is transgenderism. Please don't even begin to try to pretend this is not true.

Nah pratchet

Its just a really really really really weird coincidence that toilets are actually being renamed gender neutral at the moment

Men and other as it were

And maybe that huge referendum and march that all the women were asked to take part in where just about everyone said they would LOVE to share toilets with men who have no intention of transitioning but just want to sit comfortably to have a poo

I honestly dont know how youve missed that

Youll find me in whichever cubicles have the smallest queue

You'll find me looking in each cubicle and waiting until a clean one comes free (almost guaranteed to be in a women's toilet).

Good point yet

What is the source of the Seattle pic? There’s something about the image that looks a bit CAD to me.

What does CAD mean ?

This is what Seattle has done

CAD - computer aided design? It is a 3D computer aided image?

Oh right. No, they're the toilets in the Washington Convention Centre.

I don’t understand them at all, who are they meant to be good for?

Exhibitionists and voyeurs?

They are mixed sex, because it's against the law to have any toilets that aren't mixed sex.

But they have a problem with drug users so they have cut-out cubicles to prevent people hiding in there to use drugs.

This is the result.

@Pratchet I've seen animal stalls designed better than that.

Oh right. No, they're the toilets in the Washington Convention Centre

From the image they don't look as if the even meet Seattle's definition of a single occupant restroom.

@antigrinch: "oh but no one washes their trousers in front of other women either."

@ratrolypoly said something about never seeing anyone doing that in decades.

Generally, when I've washed my trousers or top, I've hidden in the cubicle until the coast is clear, then darted out and washed as quick as I can and hidden in the cubicle again if I hear someone coming. So I actually try to avoid even women seeing me, the woman-only nature of the loo is the safeguard of last resort for if I don't hear the door opening and don't hide in time.

"oh but rinsing a mooncup is gross no matter what."

If I saw another woman rinsing a cup, I'd give her a thumbs-up. Also, this is another "wait until the coast is clear and dart out" case for me, unless there's a queue in which case I walk out with it in hidden in a loose fist and wash it as quickly and discreetly as possible.

Here is a spectacularly stupid article on the issue. It's the "you can have urinals in your unisex loo bit" . I'm referring to.

www.washwareessentials.co.uk/content/unisex-bathroom

Is there however an objection to the set up below ? Particularly if it were in somewhere like a theatre, concert hall, art gallery where there is a large footfall of users in a short time and queues for women can be lengthy?

www.thestranger.com/slog/2016/05/25/24124386/how-do-you-solve-the-problem-of-gendered-bathrooms-this-capitol-hill-brewery-has-an-answer

|
"oh but rinsing a mooncup is gross no matter what."^

If I saw another woman rinsing a cup, I'd give her a thumbs-up. Also, this is another "wait until the coast is clear and dart out" case for me, unless there's a queue in which case I walk out with it in hidden in a loose fist and wash it as quickly and discreetly as possible.

Even then, this not an in-front-of-men activity because I can't guarantee 100% concealment of the cup and blood. Believe it or not, that is actually about the men's comfort as well as mine, I don't want them projectile vomiting at the sight of my blackcurrant jam clots!

No, they're the toilets in the Washington Convention Centre.

Fair enough. I suppose I hoped it was some dumbass design that had been assumed to already exist.

But they have a problem with drug users so they have cut-out cubicles to prevent people hiding in there to use drugs.

Fucking ridiculous. Might as well not bother with the partitions at all since they provide no meaningful privacy.

Even my cat wouldn't want to use those loos with cut out bits - he gets ever so offended if you catch him in the litter tray

From the image they don't look as if the even meet Seattle's definition of a single occupant restroom.

Well that's one of the toilets women have to use if they're out and about. Are you commenting on how appalling that is?

@ratrolypoly said something about never seeing anyone doing that in decades.

No I didn't. I'm 34.

I am curious though; what about the women who don't want to empty their mooncup (or make "bathroom noises" or stand in their pants using a sink) in front of anyone, not just men? Do they get to say no too? Or is it only women who say no to men who we listen to?

Because whilst any one of us might be okay with it in front of other women, I bet my bottom dollar if you polled women on whether they're rather do it in front of women or rather not do it in front of anyone at all that the latter will win out.

And the solution for those women, with which surely noone would lose, is individual cubicles (rooms) with floor to ceiling lockable doors and sinks inside.

It occurs to me that this move towards self contained toilet "rooms" is far more likely to be to provide increased privacy and dignity for all users than simply because "trans".

There's a reason why not all toilets are designed in the same way as disabled toilets - single room with a sink - and its because you cant provide enough toilets that way.

I never knew there was so many issues with toilets in the work place!
My work place is a regular house so everyone uses the same bathroom.
There's a sanitary bin there and it hasn't scared the men off!!

Notacooldad: are you male?