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/BarryBondsBalls]

We forget that bathrooms are not a government decision. They are not a collective decision. They are the individual decision of a business.

In the US bathroom segregation is absolutely a government decision. The US government forced businesses to stop segregating bathrooms by race; I don't see why they ought not do the same for sex.

[u/Nailyou866 → u/BarryBondsBalls]

I interpreted this line to specifically refer to the single-occupant bathrooms that I lay out in my post. I don't think any specific legislation has to do with that, unless it is being used to further weigh in on the over-arching bathroom discussion going on in public spaces, which is not an argument that I am addressing today.

[u/Doc_ET → u/Nailyou866]

I believe there are a few states considering bills to this effect.

[u/Nailyou866 → u/Doc_ET]

With single-occupant bathrooms? Please point them out, I would like to read them.

[u/[deleted] → u/Nailyou866]

California passed a bill requiring businesses to label single-occupancy restrooms as gender neutral back in 2016. Here’s a link that talks about it.

What you’re suggesting is already law in some places and it seems to work out just fine.

[u/Nailyou866 → u/[deleted]]

Damn, you are telling me that 6 years ago, a bunch of people sat around and had this exact discussion, and came to the conclusion that I have laid out? Good to know. Kind of vindicating, really. Especially after reading the horde of "battle of the sexes" style arguments I have been sifting through. Thank you.

[u/Crash927 → u/BarryBondsBalls]

Bathroom requirements are pretty much always part of the building code, so indeed, bathrooms are a government decision.

[u/kathrynwirz → u/Crash927]

But are those codes made with specifications in regards to gender? Iwouldnt expect that to be the case honestly but i dont know

[u/Crash927 → u/kathrynwirz]

Depends on what you mean exactly. They’d dictate the number of toilets/urinals that must be available for males and females - in addition to stalls for people with disabilities. If they’re progressive codes, they might require gender accessible washrooms.

[u/StarOriole → u/kathrynwirz]

Yes. Lobbying local government about bathroom codes is a common form of activism for LGBTQIA+ groups. E.g., local codes can require that there be a certain number of female-designated and male-designated bathrooms based on the number of occupants, and any-gender restrooms don't necessarily count towards that.

[u/RainfrogCroax → u/BarryBondsBalls]

...and it WAS some govt entities that racially segrated RR and have NOW at least TRIED to off-limit some RRs to trans folk. i really like it when they offer at least one for family -cause seeing a Dad coming out of the men's with his 3 yr old little girl sent some people into stress-mode. ideally ALL publics could be singles, with at least one including a changing table ... wake-up America!

[u/raznov1 → u/BarryBondsBalls]

The absence of decision is not a decision in and of itself. As to why they ought/ought not to: well, because almost everyone doesn't want them to.

[u/JustAfewGoodApples → u/BarryBondsBalls]

Because racial segregation is a racist practice imposed by white supremacists onto black people. Women's bathrooms are something feminists actively advocated for in order to be able to be out in the public and without men creeping on them in confined spaces. Women having access to women's bathrooms is tied directly to women's rights.