There are obvious reasons for increasing the number of women's toilets and they shouldn't need explaining. Women usually take a lot longer because of menstruation, fiddly underwear, checking make-up and not being able to use a urinal.
But most men couldn't care less. As long as they can slip in and out of the toilet in 60 seconds they're not bothered. Women having to queue is just "one of those things" and they simply have to suck it up.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, pledged some time ago to increase provision of women's toilets in the city. Whether he's made any progress is unclear. I imagine he's had plenty of resistance from intransigent males.
Personally I think we need at least a 2 to 1 ratio of female toilets to male toilets. There should be enough female toilets to abolish queues altogether. Why should women have to wait while men can use the loo at top speed?
I also think women urinate more frequently than men. But yes to more toilets for females, please!!!
ReplyDeleteBijoux: Yes, I think that's true. Jenny goes more than I do!
Deletethe ratio of female to male loos is usually about 4:1
ReplyDeleteKylie: Then Oz must be very enlightened!
DeleteWe still queue for a disproportionate time
DeleteKylie: Then the ratio will have to increase to 5 to1!
DeleteGoing to large events was a nightmare, nick. I'm all for adding more!
ReplyDeleteSandra: I'll bet! Even I as a man have to queue at those big events. I can still remember the long toilet queues at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1969!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point. They see the need and should act on it.
ReplyDeleteMary: Too many men see the need but don't do anything about it because it doesn't affect them.
DeleteA new trend in some places in the U.S. is to have a non-gendered bathroom in public places. It takes some getting used to.
ReplyDeleteColette: Non-gendered bathrooms are quite common in the UK. As yet I haven't seen any myself. But I would be nervous about entering one and alarming any women present.
DeleteAs for the UK, I have seen one, maybe because it was in an artsy place, the Light Box in Central London. The first time, after I asked permission, I used the handicapped washroom off the lobby. They must have heard my American accent and thought, "Americans have Puritan ancestors" or "God lives in the American midwest." The second time I copied everybody else. The stalls circled an island of sinks. I survived.
ReplyDeleteSean: I think some disabled toilets are being re-purposed as gender-neutral toilets.
DeleteWell said, Nick, because there has always been a line at the women's toilets in the public places I've been to and airports are among the worst.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: Yes, I remember having to queue for a toilet cubicle at Stansted Airport a few years back.
DeleteI always try to be as quick as possible, for one thing public loos are a bit grim. I usually try to find a store loo. Waitrose has nice loos.
ReplyDeleteSx
Ms Scarlet: No Waitrose in Northern Ireland, but there are nice loos in M&S. There are no public toilets at all in Belfast city centre.
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