Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Why Gender Specific Bathrooms?

Doesn't it seem a little 1930's that we still have gender specific bathrooms? I wonder if people are afraid that there will be non-stop orgies if all of sudden we all go shit in the same place?

Are they afraid we are going to see each others we-we's and who-ha's?

If I had to guess the whole reason there is segregation it is either because of a male conspiracy or a female one.

Female: They need a place to talk in private. (I would suggest texting)
Men: They are afraid of waiting in line.

16 comments:

Emily said...

I'd add to the conspiracy theory that women don't want to step in urine.

I've used a few questionable bar men's rooms (desperate times call for desperate measures), and I'm not sure if I want to share a bathroom with men with alcohol-impaired aim.

At work, however, we had gender-specific bathrooms despite the fact that they are just one toilet in one room that you can lock. That's just silly, especially when our company is 80% female and we have the same number of bathrooms.

Sornie said...

I think it boils down to the secrecy involving the bathroom going-ons of the genders. I for one still refuse to believe that girls poop so I don't want a unisex crapper spoiling that one for me.

Thomas said...

Sornie's on the right track. Gender-specific bathrooms help perpetuate the myth that women don't pass gas.

SS+1 said...

I'm not a huge texter.

I think both sexes are guilty of having gross/annoying bathroom habbits...

I think Chino in uptown nailed it on the head...if you haven't checked out their restrooms yet, do it.

Also, since I'm a poop-room conisseuer all of the sudden, the Independent has genderless bathrooms as well (I think...)

Fun stuff to think about though :)

SS+1 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Me in Memphis said...

I don't know, I'm a female and I've seen some ATROCIOUS women's restrooms. Women are no better about "being careful" with their bodily waste than men.

I'd prefer my own bathroom. The Emily Bathroom. If I can't have that everywhere I go, then it's all the same to me.

scargosun said...

I mostly agree with your end reasoning but also I could never poop in front of a guy. I don't do it in front of my husband either.

Anonymous said...

I think it has to do more with the mystery around each sex. I would prefer not to hear people shitting around me, and men would get tired of us looking at ourselves, adjusting our makeup, etc.

I'll be biased here and say that men's bathrooms are atrocious, and I will never pee in one, unless I am under the influence of copious amounts of booze. Even then, sometimes I'd rather pee in an alley.

my name is Amanda said...

I can't BELIEVE that women still have to put up with an effing HUGE line for the bathroom, all the while watching men walk in and out quickly, with no line. What the fuck?! How has NOBODY gotten this right yet??!

That said, we often have separate bathrooms for the sake of safety in an area where you are quite vulnerable. And because boys pee all over the floor.

Melinda said...

Okay, you've previously said that men's bathrooms don't usually have stalls. Are you campaigning for stalls (since women get them) or for women to share in the lack of privacy?

Cause you seriously don't want to see what goes down in a women's public bathroom sans stalls. Squatting (followed by spraying), tampon changing and whatnot. It ain't pretty.

For me personally though, even with stalls that would feel pretty unsafe.

Sarah said...

duh, it's because boys have cooties.

Lauren Elizabeth said...

I guess it's because there is a lot of female stuff that goes on in women's bathrooms and they want women to feel like they have some privacy, or at least that other women understand and therefore we can all share a bathroom. Personally I think it would be very uncomfortable to share a bathroom with men. How could you go check your hair and makeup if your date was standing right next to you?

Ma said...

Ooo looks like you've hit the jackpot with this subject BriGuy - most comments you've had in a while :)
Highly charged subject that bodily waste/genitalia issue....
I think we would all be happy if every where you went there were lots of individually barricaded stalls - much like the ones at Rudolph's or the Independant, where there are full walls and doors, but instead of the sinks and mirrors being on the outside where everyone is forced to pick gunk out of their teeth in front of potential mates they'd be on the inside in case you needed to do an emergency armpit washing w/o anyone knowing about your BO problems... haha

*another fun way to spruce things up would be to have them made with that reverse glass stuff on the sides where you look out to the crowd outside so it seems like they can all see you pissing or washing away but really they'd just be looking in the mirror at themselves - what a way to learn how to get over yourself and be comfortable in your own skin*

ps I remember when we used to have the video cameras set up in the chino bathrooms and catch guys pissing in the sinks cuz they thought it was a urinal - we'd play it on the tvs @ the bar and laugh at all the drunkin customers around bar close.... I think we got in trouble and had to stop that after a while though, either that or someone got fired for it - haha
I miss that place - I miss all the $ I used to make at that place :)

~Sheila~ said...

I am totally in agreement with "M" up there. The whole tampon changing thing is what popped into my might right away.

Here's my other reason.
I have a little girl. I wouldnt want my little girl squatting in the same room with a bunch of boys or men.
I'm not a big fan of pedophilia.

Maggie Moo said...

I'm curious why you want coed bathrooms...

justacoolcat said...

Technically the bathrooms are sex specific, not gender specific.

And would you want to send your daughter (if you have one) into a bathroom with males?