Pregnant and desperate for a wee Out of order staff?

[beksyt]

I am 28 weeks pregnant. I was doing some shopping in Iceland and was suddenly busting for a wee. I asked the lady on the checkout if there was a toilet I could use, pointed to the bump. She said no only a staff toilet and no she wasn't going to ask her supervisor and told me to go elsewhere. Flabbergasted

The weeing everywhere an in helmets is total myth.

Persistent though..... there are so many weird laws that people want it to be true.
No, I don't think that staff member was being unreasonable. Nor do I think it is up to Iceland to be any issues on inadequate public facilities.

You need to get involved with local level politics, or specific campaigning, to get adequate provision of public loos in the places where there are not enough.

Persuading shops/cafes to join a voluntary scheme under which they allow the public to use their loos might be the most practical solution, as it's the cheapest for your council, and actually not bad for the shops as they get more footfall.

In the UK, pregnant women are legally allowed to wee wherever they like

Are they? Have you got a link to the legislation?

I don't think the Iceland staff member was at fault, for reasons mentioned already, but it is very difficult for lots of people that there are so few public loos open. It's a public health issue.

Not out of order at all. Where i work to get to staff loos you need to go through our stock room. Past our lockers through our office and up a dangerous flight of stairs where theres usually dirty needles left by the occupants who share the upstairs flat.

I have heard that you have to let a pregnant woman wee but it probably means places with toilets eg cafes, pubs...
I also heard the policeman helmet thing but sure that's a myth + They don't really wear them any more!

There's something about having to give a drink of water as well?

The availability of toilets is an issue that disproportionately affects women. There are various orgs that focus on this.

When I worked in retail we were told that customers could not use the toilets. I did a couple of times though - one was a pregnant woman and the other was a young child.

I did check with the Manager and she was ok with it but I had to take them through and then stand outside the door. The toilet was by the stock room.

I could never get over just how many people asked "have you got a toilet" - I always wanted to say "Yes the staff have thank you". Why would a book shop or a card shop have toilets for customers?

Quite a few customers would get quite stroppy

Lack of public toilets is an issue when you're out with small children as well.

It's all a bit of a nightmare really.

Another example of where society is set up mainly for youngish healthy unencumbered people.

This may be a reason that out of town centres are so popular vs high street?

Society is set up for people who want to buy from shops with extremely low prices, which the shops accomplish by offering very limited facilities and service provided by an overworked skeleton crew of largely female shift workers.

Policeman's helmet is myth. Yes they do still wear them on occasion depending on situation and rank.

No they will not let you pee in it even if your pregnant

That's not really true is it jamie.

These things also apply in all sorts of other places as well - where things are put together to fit an "average" man who is unencumbered, able bodied etc.

There's a lot of normal stuff that is difficult, uncomfortable, doesn't quite work if you fall outside that. People with disabilities are the obvious group who can have a lot of trouble accessing public space, transport etc, but elderly people are often not well catered to, people with children, pregnant women etc etc.Even basic stuff - I'm not particularly short for a woman at 5'3 and can't reach the handrail on my train. To bigger stuff - crash test dummies were all based on average man, turns out that women were massively higher to be seriously injured or killed even at low speed collissions as the safety stuff was not designed for our smaller size and weight.

There's a whole load of stuff around this.

Public toilets (lack of them) are definitely a feminist issue.

Complain on social media where they can see it.
They trade heavily on 'That's why Mums go to Iceland'.
Not letting a pregnant women use the toilet is something they'll worry about as impacting their brand.Might well get a change to policy or staff training.

I can’t see what any of your post has to do with mine being untrue, Nothing.

No, she was not out of order. She’s trying to do her low paid job without getting into trouble from her supervisor.

This.

That is so out of order, Sendyouupinflames

Any reason why this is in feminism? Sounds more like AIBU...