Privacy, cleanliness and comfort; adequate facilities are essential. But do both genders feel safe behind the bathroom door?
From a young age, dependent on where you’re located and school type, you may have only experienced single-sex toilets. You tend to feel safe in spaces you’re familiar with. Sudden change can come with apprehension, along with potential damaging risks. Different anatomies mean different uses and expectations which may cause discomfort for others. How do you define indecent exposure, after all, this is a bathroom right?
I’ve only ever used single-sex bathrooms. It’s peculiar as you keep yourself to yourself, but there’s just usually a common, respectful understanding. Almost like unspoken rules, womanhood is a different kind of clique. Whether that be sanitary needs, cramps, or just zhuzhing up your hair and makeup, there’s no judgment here! The dreaded jumpsuit that is impossible to get off, or having your girlfriends lace/zip up the back of your dress. I think having men around can alter the entire atmosphere. I don’t know about everyone else, but whenever I approach a bathroom door, I do take note of my surroundings and glance back just to make sure I’m not being watched or closely followed in by a random guy.
But with unisex, how can you tell?
Men may experience similar issues. They may feel like it’s invasion of privacy or feel somewhat anxious to use a urinal in the presence of women. Religious believers may perceive it as disrespectful or indecent, as though they haven’t had a choice which space they wish to frequent. After all, why change something that isn’t broken?
I think the reason why, is because it’s 2024. I can’t see how implementing this all-inclusive, one-way authoritarianism would positively impact society.
Children are a different story, entirely. You tend to accompany a young child into public bathroom, it’s just natural intuition. As they mature, you cut the umbilical cord so they experience independence and understanding their own privacy. Personally, I’d find it far more worrisome if I knew that anyone could be on the other side of the door, unless I physically guide my child to a cubicle door and stand outside the cubicle, but how practical is that in a busy restroom where queues are forming and take for example everyone practised the same theory with their child? It would take forever and heighten everybody’s anxiety.
Additionally, the difference between a singular disabled toilet and a restroom is that yes, either woman or man can utilise it. But more importantly, you have privacy without judgement or prying eyes.
Surely if we all had the choice, we’d opt for a self-contained, spacious restroom rather than just a teeny cubical you somewhat share. So what’s wrong with using that theory for anyone that wishes to use a unisex toilet?
I’m all for choice. But in this regard, ‘all for one and one for all’ can seem backward and lacking of choice. You can’t cater to absolutely everyone, but you can cater to the majority. My preference would be separate gender restrooms, due to safety and privacy reasons. Upskirting is one of many examples and anyone of any demographic can be a victim. But if I had no other option… I’d check the quickest ETA for home, before even contemplating using a unisex bathroom. What can I say, I like my home comforts!
What do you think? Do you feel safe in unisex bathrooms? Do you think they should be more common and mainstream? Do you believe in choice or perceive it to be an unnecessary division? Comment below!
Beauty File 
I’ve never been in a bathroom like that, the sexes should have their own spaces…
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Yes, we need our space! Haha😊🤍
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I would feel odd in a bathroom with women next to me in the stall…
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Agreed, it’d almost feel like an invasion of privacy. But they do exist around the world, I’d preferably not visit due to personal choice, but I think as time goes on, they’ll become increasingly common!
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I know of just one bathroom like that, it is in a public park! 👎🏻
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Never public park bathrooms, it should have an ‘enter at your own risk’ sign! Warning you of the danger that awaits you on the other side😂😂🤦♀️
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Agreed, this is more important for women in my view, and I respect that.
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I would never use a unisex toilet, unless it was one person at a time, and I do believe that women should have a safe space. When I was on the Compostela de Santiago for the first time, I stayed in the refuge, females outnumbered males by a long way, the toilets for the females were always full in the morning rush hour so the girls would simply spill over into the male toilets, strip off and start washing themselves. I was a lad in my 60’s so had more traditional ideas and felt really uncomfortable with this so I would make my breakfast and wait until rush hour was over before taking to the toilets and wash room. But having stayed in backpackers a lot in Europe you get used to mixed dorms, which I found OK.
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We need to clone more men like you! Having values and respect is so important and that lacks nowadays. Without that, how would both genders feel comfortable behind closed doors if they question what one’s true intentions are? We live in a very untrustworthy, sceptical society nowadays due to prioritising our own safety.
Unisex toilets are simply out of touch with the times of today and lacks further understanding.
Thankyouu so much for sharing your insight, Walter!😊🤍
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Very well written and very thought provoking and caring ✨️✨️✨️
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Thankyouu so much, Sel!! Happy to hear you’ve enjoyed reading this post!😊🤍
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I went to a unisex bathroom at a gay club and I felt perfectly safe but if it was anything other than that I don’t think I would like it because why aren’t there separate bathrooms?
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Exactly, no one should feel uncomfortable or venerable even going into a public bathroom. Prioritising the majority rather than a minority should always be adhered to in this scenario in my opinion. Safety is paramount.
I can understand the unisex bathroom at a gay club, it’s an establishment so it’s the business’ choice, but public restrooms have a responsibility to respect differences instead of turning a blind eye to what indeed makes us different.
Thankyou so much for sharing your insight!😃🤍
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I prefer same sex restrooms or I’ll just hold it. Make sure you lock the single stall restroom door because you don’t know what sex is walking in behind you these days.
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Me too and yes, safety is paramount. Anyone can identify themselves as the same gender and potentially hound you for a variety of reasons all of which you shouldn’t be forced to use the same, confined facilities. Bathrooms are somewhat vulnerable, lonely places as is, we need to draw the line somewhere!
Thankyou so much for sharing your wise words, Tash!!😊🤍
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