Segregated Washrooms are Inefficient

[-1=e^ipi]

Most public washrooms in Canada are segregated based upon gender/sex.

Should Canada become more like Sweden where many public washrooms are unisex?

Segregated washrooms are inefficient. For example, suppose there is a male washroom and a female washroom right next to each other with 2 stalls each and you have 4 people wanting to use the washroom. If the probability of the person being male or female is 1/2, then there would only be a 3/8 chance that you would have exactly 2 males and 2 females. In the other cases, you would have at least 1 person waiting to use a stall. As a result, segregated washrooms waste people's time relative to unsegregated washrooms.

Also, segregated washrooms can make it difficult for trans people, non-binary people and intersex people. It can also make it difficult for parents that are with a child of the opposite gender/sex. Not to mention that segregated washrooms result in the unnecessary duplication of costs (for example, you may need 1 baby changing area per washroom instead of 1 for both washrooms).

[BC_chick]

You need to qualify this a bit further. If they're single-use washrooms, I think there would be many inclined to agree with you. In multi-stall bathrooms, I think opinions begin to vary.

Personally, I don't care with single-use washrooms being designated but I'd rather keep multi-stall bathrooms the way they are. Many places where multi-stall bathrooms exist do offer single-use unisex for parents and/or transgenders.

[TimG]

Personally, I don't care with single-use washrooms being designated but I'd rather keep multi-stall bathrooms the way they are. Many places where multi-stall bathrooms exist do offer single-use unisex for parents and/or transgenders.

I find it ironic that the people who most frequently demand 'safe spaces' are the most keen to turn public restrooms into 'unsafe spaces' because it suits their social engineering objectives.

[BC_chick]

I find it ironic that the people who most frequently demand 'safe spaces' are the most keen to turn public restrooms into 'unsafe spaces' because it suits their social engineering objectives.

It has very little with do safety, just privacy.

And I'll openly admit it's a generation thing. My daughter's opinion may differ on this than me when she's old enough to voice her opinion but my personal preference as a middle-aged woman is to see other women when I come out of the bathroom.

Call me old-fashioned but the OP asked our opinions and that's mine.

[bush_cheney2004]

I've seen women in men designated restrooms at public venues and it was no big deal. Men can see the long line of women waiting to go, and most applaud the "ballsy" female who takes matters into her own hands. Men would be arrested in the reverse scenario.

[TimG]

It has very little with do safety, just privacy.

When people call for 'safe spaces' for whatever (i.e. to have a meeting to complain about racism). What they are talking about is privacy - not safety. I am using the term in that context and the point still applies: the same people demanding 'safe spaces' are the same people insisting on taking away the 'safe space' represented by single gender public washrooms.

[-1=e^ipi]

Personally, I don't care with single-use washrooms being designated but I'd rather keep multi-stall bathrooms the way they are.

Why? Could you provide a reason?

[-1=e^ipi]

My daughter's opinion may differ on this than me when she's old enough to voice her opinion but my personal preference as a middle-aged woman is to see other women when I come out of the bathroom.

So, you would be okay with Caitlyn Jenner in the same bathroom as you but not Bruce Jenner?

[BC_chick]

Why? Could you provide a reason?

I know many couples who leave the bathroom door open and don't care about bodily functions but I'm not one of those people. I don't like my partner hearing me in the bathroom and that sentiment goes for men as a whole.

[Guest]

The only place where I like to go standing up is a public bathroom. So as long as I can still do that I don't care.

[BC_chick]

So, you would be okay with Caitlyn Jenner in the same bathroom as you but not Bruce Jenner?

I'm ok with both, I'm just stating my preference (as per the subject of the thread).

Edited November 22, 2015 by BC_chick

[-1=e^ipi]

I don't like my partner hearing me in the bathroom and that sentiment goes for men as a whole.

Why does it matter if a men hears you instead of a woman?

[BC_chick]

Why does it matter if a men hears you instead of a woman?

Because as I admitted earlier, I am old-fashioned when it comes to these things. Your 'gotcha' moment never was, I said so in post 4.

[-1=e^ipi]

Because as I admitted earlier, I am old-fashioned when it comes to these things.

Okay, well why do you wish to remain old-fashioned?

Also, you realize that as the wait times for female washrooms are generally higher than the wait times for male washrooms, non-gender segregated washrooms would disproportionately benefit women, right?

[GostHacked]

Why? Could you provide a reason?

What do you need clarification on? A single use bathroom can be used by one person at any given time (or a parent and child). The other is a mutli stall bathroom which can be used by multiple people at the same time.

I am surprised this needs an explanation.

[GostHacked]

What if I accidentally expose myself to a female in one of these multi-gender bathrooms? I might get called anti-feminist for doing so.

[BC_chick]

Okay, well why do you wish to remain old-fashioned?

Also, you realize that as the wait times for female washrooms are generally higher than the wait times for male washrooms, non-gender segregated washrooms would disproportionately benefit women, right?

You asked what are preferences are, I gave them, told you my reasons, acknowledged that they're nothing beyond my own conditioning and personal beliefs but you still want to talk me out of it because of wait times? You think I'm not aware that women's lines are always way longer?

Of course I have and I still prefer segregated multi-stall bathrooms.

If you don't like my opinion, then don't start a thread asking for it.

[-1=e^ipi]

If you don't like my opinion, then don't start a thread asking for it.

I created a thread to discuss the issue.

At least you are honest that you only opposite it due to conditioning. That is understandable.

[Big Guy]

I believe it is still an issue of privacy and personal preference. I do contend that there are too few female washrooms relative to men's washrooms. Men tend to do their thing quickly and leave while females require putting things back together before they leave. I have seen the lobby during intermission of a play or concert where there is a long lineup at the women's room and nothing at the men's.

I remember years ago at Maple Leaf Gardens during a hockey game when a period ended - there would be rush to the washrooms and every receptacle from regular washrooms, to basins, wash basins were in continues use - not necessarily for their intended purpose.

BTW I have also seen where in a multi-use men's washroom, somebody would be standing outside as a "guard" while women were using it because of a disproportionate need.

At least we are advanced. I recall many, many years ago in Europe walking into a multi-use co-ed "washroom" which consisted of only holes in the floor along a wall.

[Guest]

I had the same experience at BC Place. No guards though. It was just "whoah"!

Sharing washroom stories, I remember washrooms on US military bases with no cubicles. Just toilets in a row. Apparently they were trying to cut down on drug use. We Brits didn't know anything about that, but we weren't too keen on sitting next to each other chatting like we were at the bar.

I probably still bear the scars...

Edited November 23, 2015 by bcsapper

[Big Guy]

I had the same experience at BC Place. No guards though. It was just "whoah"!

Sharing washroom stories, I remember washrooms on US military bases with no cubicles. Just toilets in a row. Apparently they were trying to cut down on drug use. We Brits didn't know anything about that, but we weren't too keen on sitting next to each other chatting like we were at the bar.

I probably still bear the scars...

Great idea! You could share reading a newspaper or attempt a duet.

[Bonam]

Even inside multi-use washrooms, the actual stalls typically offer enough privacy. In the US and Canada, individual stalls are often designed with giant gaps at the top and bottom for some reason, but in other countries individual stalls typically have floor to ceiling walls. If you replaced all the stalls with this kind of design where the walls are full height, then the only public area would be the sinks and I don't see why anyone would care if sinks are shared by men and women. Of course, that still leaves the question of urinals and whether you'd still have some of those or not in a shared washroom... presumably you could tuck them away behind a corner or wall in a way that blocks sightlines or something.

[Michael Hardner]

in other countries individual stalls typically have floor to ceiling walls.

My high school in France had co-ed bathrooms and it was no big deal.

[Big Guy]

I am not sure that I would support co-ed multi-use washrooms.

Anybody who I have ever talked to, who do commercial cleaning, tell me that women's washrooms are left far "messier" than men's washrooms. Not having visited too many women's washrooms, I have no personal experience to compare the two so I have to trust the evaluation of professionals in the "field".

[-1=e^ipi]

Of course, that still leaves the question of urinals and whether you'd still have some of those or not in a shared washroom...

Well if you were to eliminate urinals then you would lose the efficiency argument for non-segregated urinals. Not to mention that some women would be willing to use urinals.