Let's talk about separate bathrooms

[coffee4u]

And because of such poor designs and construction, by men, they occasionally take over the mens stalls.
The ladies are not amused.

And as I said before that might be both your country and your area. The whole world is not the same.

 

[comana]

And as I said before that might be both your country and your area. The whole world is not the same.

US restrooms are pretty bad on the whole. Women’s facilities are often inadequate for places with large crowds. I always felt women need at least twice the space available to men because we can’t even pee without needing a stall. All the undressing/dressing just slows the line down. That’s why women who are about to wet themselves will just walk into the mens when the lines are out the door.

 

[DaisyDay]

And as I said before that might be both your country and your area. The whole world is not the same.

And then there is the issue of public restrooms - generally, there aren't any. Restaurants and retail establishments reserve the right to allow use of their facilities to paying customers only.

 

[Mayzoo]

And then there is the issue of public restrooms - generally, there aren't any. Restaurants and retail establishments reserve the right to allow use of their facilities to paying customers only.

Several of the public businesses in our area no longer allow public access to their restrooms, period. Paying customers or not, no matter. If this becomes the norm, this whole discussion becomes moot.

 

[SkyWriting]

And as I said before that might be both your country and your area. The whole world is not the same.

I had thought that as well.

 

[DaisyDay]

Several of the public businesses in our area no longer allow public access to their restrooms, period. Paying customers or not, no matter. If this becomes the norm, this whole discussion becomes moot.

A boon for Depends!

 

[coffee4u]

US restrooms are pretty bad on the whole. Women’s facilities are often inadequate for places with large crowds. I always felt women need at least twice the space available to men because we can’t even pee without needing a stall. All the undressing/dressing just slows the line down. That’s why women who are about to wet themselves will just walk into the mens when the lines are out the door.

Oh I know, I am a woman. If I was about to pee myself then yes I would use the men's room. Desperate times and all. I've never been in that situation although I have been in a line for the bathrooms and seen no lines for the men's.

 

[coffee4u]

A boon for Depends!

Let's not even think about that.

 

[FredVB]

God gave coverings for a reason.

Not that God really wanted people covered. God did not have it that way in the Garden for us from God's perfect design for us. We had covering for us originally because of hard environments outside from the Garden for which covering up to some extent would help. It is not the same in all places.

The reality is, in our culture, most are uncomfortable with being seen naked or in various stages of undress with a stranger of the opposite sex, so separate shower, locker room and restroom facilities are needed for this reason

That is it, the cultural conditioning. I don't see it is necessarily best to have two entirely separate rooms built for access for such needs. I can see there might be one big room, with stalls on either side, and a dividing partition keeping that part out of view from the other side, one side for men, one side for women, and, maybe a middle section partitioned for any parent taking care of a baby.

 

[Ken-1122]

That is it, the cultural conditioning. I don't see it is necessarily best to have two entirely separate rooms built for access for such needs. I can see there might be one big room, with stalls on either side, and a dividing partition keeping that part out of view from the other side, one side for men, one side for women.

And what will this accomplish that having two separate rooms will not?

 

[FredVB]

And what will this accomplish that having two separate rooms will not?

Well, aside from adequately accommodating crowded circumstances when otherwise women wait in line to use a separate (but not equal) room for them even while a room for men to use is not being used, there is not the extra expense where they would yet be building an extra room separately. And for what? What will it accomplish to still build a separate room for what one large room would function well for? Should it be your call? Why should it not be up to building owners who can see it would save expenses and still function as it should?

 

[Ken-1122]

Well, aside from adequately accommodating crowded circumstances when otherwise women wait in line to use a separate (but not equal) room for them even while a room for men to use is not being used,

No, this will still be a problem because the dividing portion you mention separating the men's side from the women's side will still cause this problem.

there is not the extra expense where they would yet be building an extra room separately. And for what? What will it accomplish to still build a separate room for what one large room would function well for? Should it be your call? Why should it not be up to building owners who can see it would save expenses and still function as it should?

Saving money on an extra wall? Is that it? How about the possibility, or the fear that a guy can enter the men's side, then easily bypass the dividing portion and have access to the women's area when she is alone? Don't cha think the few extra pennies spent on a real wall to prevent this problem would be money well spent?

 

[atpollard]

I have suggested to my brother (who works in construction) that there's an opportunity in making public restroom stalls more private.

It is a space issue. Codes dictate the number of toilets and sinks. Clustered rooms with thin partitions are more space efficient. Individual restrooms will need more space and more fixtures, making them more expensive. At hundreds of dollars per square foot, the costs add up to "real money" that somebody has to pay.

Personally, I like individual "unisex" restrooms, too. One just needs to recognize that somebody spent a lot of money to make that happen.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

It is a space issue. Codes dictate the number of toilets and sinks. Clustered rooms with thin partitions are more space efficient. Individual restrooms will need more space and more fixtures, making them more expensive. At hundreds of dollars per square foot, the costs add up to "real money" that somebody has to pay.

Personally, I like individual "unisex" restrooms, too. One just needs to recognize that somebody spent a lot of money to make that happen.

There's somewhat of a middle ground between the two. I was recently at Baltimore airport, and they have restrooms with fully-closed stalls - solid walls floor-to-ceiling, steel doors with a standard door latch and deadbolt. There are similar stalls at some truck stops (I want to say Flying J?). The restrooms aren't unisex, but they could be, given the complete privacy afforded by the stalls.

 

[SimplyMe]

There's somewhat of a middle ground between the two. I was recently at Baltimore airport, and they have restrooms with fully-closed stalls - solid walls floor-to-ceiling, steel doors with a standard door latch and deadbolt. There are similar stalls at some truck stops (I want to say Flying J?). The restrooms aren't unisex, but they could be, given the complete privacy afforded by the stalls.

Buc-ee's has restrooms like that -- each stall is essentially a closet, complete with a door that locks (though there is a 3-ish" gap at the top and bottom for ventilation). It seems it could easily be made intersexed with few issues. If you ever pass a Buc-ee's, they are a great place to use the restroom -- both for the privacy, there are more than enough "stalls," and the fact they are kept spotlessly clean.

The most ridiculous, to me, was a job I had where there were two bathrooms with a single toilet and sink in each, where you'd lock the door when you went in, yet they were marked for "Men" and "Women."

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Buc-ee's has restrooms like that -- each stall is essentially a closet, complete with a door that locks (though there is a 3-ish" gap at the top and bottom for ventilation). It seems it could easily be made intersexed with few issues. If you ever pass a Buc-ee's, they are a great place to use the restroom -- both for the privacy, there are more than enough "stalls," and the fact they are kept spotlessly clean.

Yeah, Buc-ee's is great. I have relatives in Texas and have been there a few times. That's definitely the style of bathroom I was thinking of.

The most ridiculous, to me, was a job I had where there were two bathrooms with a single toilet and sink in each, where you'd lock the door when you went in, yet they were marked for "Men" and "Women."

Those are pretty silly. I think it's out of some misguided notion that men are dirtier than women so we should give the women a separate restroom to protect their "delicate sensibilities". In reality, having cleaned public restrooms, the women's room is almost always grosser than the men's.

 

[atpollard]

The most ridiculous, to me, was a job I had where there were two bathrooms with a single toilet and sink in each, where you'd lock the door when you went in, yet they were marked for "Men" and "Women."

Sometimes local building codes drive that and require a minimum of one of each (men/women) with all restrooms properly labeled.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Sometimes local building codes drive that and require a minimum of one of each (men/women) with all restrooms properly labeled.

Fair enough - though it doesn't make it any less silly IMO. If there's only one toilet and the room locks from the inside, it doesn't really matter which gender is marked on the door.

 

[atpollard]

Fair enough - though it doesn't make it any less silly IMO. If there's only one toilet and the room locks from the inside, it doesn't really matter which gender is marked on the door.

This is the 21st century ... you can decide which gender you feel like today and use the single locking room of your choice. (no body is allowed to ask).

Heck, when we go to a restaurant as a large group and there is a long line at the ladies room and nobody in the men's room ... we have been known to post a man outside the door and suddenly there are TWO "ladies rooms".

 

[Mayzoo]

And what will this accomplish that having two separate rooms will not?

It would allow opposite-sex parents/caregivers to go out in public with their children/charges. Right now, my husband is unable to go out in public with our daughter. He has not been able to go out with her to 98% of public places since she was very little as family restrooms are rare.