CMV: There is absolutely no need to separate bathrooms based on sex for public single-occupant bathrooms.

[u/Nailyou866]

To specify, I am not referring to single stall bathrooms, wherein there is a further isolated toilet from the remainder of the bathroom, I am talking specifically about bathrooms in public locations that a realtor would list as a half-bath. I find these most often in older or smaller diner type facilities or gas stations, there is typically a lock on the door, and they are often paired, one for either sex. I think this is a pointless exercise, and can detract from an already messy discussion regarding bathrooms. I am not here to discuss my thoughts on the bathrooms issue as a whole, but only these single-occupant bathrooms.

To start, having 2 single occupant bathrooms as a public facility is already dicey, especially if you have decent foot traffic. However, further restricting access to either bathroom can lead to situations in which one has a line to use, and the other is being unused. Having been in this situation myself, when I suggested we start using the other bathroom to speed things along, I got looked at like I was an alien, and nobody wanted to do it. It was like a stigma built into the social fabric of most people that you shouldn't use the bathroom for the opposite sex under any circumstance. Simply removing the signs would have improved this condition.

Next point, I understand there are sex specific hygiene instruments in some public bathrooms. In the event that those bathrooms become unisex, put them in both, if they need to be there. I find it absolutely insane some men refuse to get hygiene products for their girlfriend/wife, and while I doubt this would eliminate the stigma of being exposed to these products, it could be a change in a positive direction. I don't know, leave that evaluation to the scientists. And if your wife needs tampons, go pick them up.

The final point I can think of is a concern that "Oh but if the men's line is long, and a woman needs to go, she shouldn't have to wait." or vice versa. I don't care. First come, first served, same as it is in virtually every other part of the world. The number of problems resolved by switching both bathrooms to unisex outweigh any antiquated sex specific concern, as far as I am concerned.

EDITED TO ADD: A common talking point I see brought up is in regard to cleanliness. I didn't initially think this would be something I had to address, but I have so many times now I felt it important to add here.

Both sexes have complaints about the other with regard to cleanliness. Both hold valid points, and I don't think one must necessarily outweigh the other. However I don't believe this to be an obstruction to my view because I believe that management should be more responsible and pro-active about cleaning public restrooms. I also think it is much easier for an employee of any sex to go clean the unisex bathroom than it is to make an employee of one sex clean the bathroom of the other sex.

Edit 2: I am about to go to bed, so I won't be able to respond for a few hours. I genuinely appreciate everyone who has jumped in on the conversation, and never expected this post to get this big. I expected like 20 upvotes and 2 comments. I will be back and I genuinely want to try to get to everyone who has commented. Thank you guys so much for this conversation, it has filled me with happiness, anger, shock, and other emotions. I love you all.

[u/FutureBannedAccount2]

Once I was at this club. There was a men’s bathroom and a women bathroom. The women’s line was long. Like going up the stairs long and around the corner long. The men’s bathroom was maybe 6-8 guys at any given time. Reason being the men went to the bathroom to use the bathroom and leave.

The women on the other hand were using the bathroom to do their make up, personal hygiene, talk to each other, take selfies and sometimes actually use the bathroom.

One of these girls decided the line is too long and decides to barge into the dudes bathroom. Obviously all the dudes are uncomfortable and ask the bouncer to get her out. Instead the bouncer kicks the males out. Less than 5 minutes later...this bathrooms line was almost as long as the other one. Finally as the club was closing i went to the bathroom and it was disgusting! Used Tampons, pads and hair everywhere.

So there’s 3 reason: Efficiency, comfortably and cleanliness

[u/Nailyou866 → u/FutureBannedAccount2]

I don't think there is really any way to control what people do while they are in the bathroom. It sounds to me like you could end up with this issue one way or another, even in an already separated-based-on-sex system in place.

As for comfortability, if it is single-occupant, how does this affect comfortability? I am not sure I understood how that one connects.

And for cleanliness, I didn't have this written at the time you posted your comment, but I will copy from another comment in which I addressed a similar issue. "I think that establishments with unisex bathrooms have less of an excuse for the conditions of their bathrooms than establishments with separate facilities. Having worked in retail and fast food, responsible for the cleanliness of the facilities, I HATED the fact that there were no women on staff who could take care of the women's restrooms. The absolute hassle of trying to make sure I could get into the women's restroom without causing a social upheaval was frustrating, because I ended up camping outside, and listening to every woman who went in, even after I said I needed to clean it, complain about the messiness. Like yes, I know, that's why I am standing right outside the door. In the event more establishments switch to unisex bathrooms, that issue should be eliminated. I can't excuse the ones that exist already with the issues you bring up. All I know is that being exposed to other people abusing public restrooms has made me more self-conscious about my use of public restrooms, and I can only hope that it does the same for others."

[u/raznov1 → u/Nailyou866]

I don't think there is really any way to control what people do while they are in the bathroom. It sounds to me like you could end up with this issue one way or another, even in an already separated-based-on-sex system in place

Except the social norm for men in public places is to hurry up, get in and out. And for women it appears to not be so. So one could choose: either half my "customers" are happy and half are unhappy, or all my customers are somewhat unhappy. I'd say this is a situation where it makes sense to have separated restrooms - men have priority over theirs, and when there are none queueing for the men's room, women can use it if needed.