Do you think that it's utterly ridiculous to have restrooms designated as "men's" and "women's"?

If they are one-holers, yes. Stupid. And ignoring the labels makes perfect sense.

Heh! I was at a convince store not long ago. There were 5 women in line for the girl’s room. I just shook my head and went into the men’s. Got some aghast looks. I wanted to say, “Whut’s wrong with you???”

If it’s a single room with a locking door, no stalls and possibly no wall urinal, it would be better to just post a sign outside that said “Unisex Restroom” and that would make it much better for everyone involved.

Why no wall urinal @Bluefreedom?

I always thought Women’s rooms would be cleaner than Men’s. Guys’ equipment is only fitted with the less accurate, open sights; whereas women are instumented with highly accurate Norden Bomb sights resulting in less collateral damage.
Besides don’t all Women’s rooms have fresh cut flowers, towel attendants and makeup tables? That’s what I’ve been told anyway.

I have no problem with sharing. Personally, I think the signs should have the symbols “Seat Up” and “Seat Down”.

Yes. Even if they’re not one stallers.

@Dutchess_III. Wouldn’t that negate the fact that it’s unisex restroom since women can’t use a wall urinal? Well, I guess they could but that might be a little unbecoming. A single toilet would work perfectly in this scenario.

Unisex, single room bathrooms are no problem.I do not want to share a public restroom with men as it is harder to kick someone’s ass with my pants down.

They have unisex where there is one stall. It is necessary for a restroom with multiple stalls to be divided by sex. I really shouldn’t have to explain why. The reason why is pretty obvious.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I must ask why is it rediculous for multi stall restrooms to be devided by sex?

I agree that individual, locking washrooms shouldn’t have sex designations. I’d prefer that washrooms with stalls and urinals continue to be designated, though, because, in my experience, some men are too “open” in public washrooms. I can’t tell you how many times while I was working in a restaurant I’d be cleaning the men’s room and a guy would come in and whip it out before he even noticed I was there.

@Bluefreedom Honestly, I’d be happy for the wall urinal. That way there is a lesser chance of some guy spraying all over the toilet.

@Mikewlf337 in the details I wrote “This is assuming restrooms that are a single room with doors that lock, not stalls.”

While we’re on the subject…why is it that men’s restrooms always have paper towels and toilet paper thrown on the floor? It’s true. Do the men’s rooms just not get cleaned as often or as well, or are men more prone to thinking “Let someone else clean up after me.”?

@Dutchess_III How much time have you been spending in men’s restrooms? Just sayin

Whenever there is someone in the women’s restroom I use the men’s, so a couple times a month. And there are ALWAYS paper towels on the floor under the sink, in the corner, by the toilet…

@Dutchess_III – Having worked a couple of jobs where I’ve had to clean men’s and ladies’ rooms, I can tell you that most of the time, women are messier than men, at least in my experience.

Well, @Seelix so the answer would be that the men’s rooms don’t get cleaned as well or as often?

@Dutchess_III – I was thinking about that, too. It could be that the staff who work at the places where you use the men’s room are mostly female, and that when they try to clean the men’s room, it’s occupied.

Or maybe you use the men’s room only when the place is busy, so there isn’t time to clean either washroom.

I don’t know – I always cleaned each room as well as I could.

I prefer having a men’s and women’s sign on the door, so I know what to expect when I go through the door for large restrooms. I wouldn’t mind sharing whenever necessary, but I would like an indicator of some type on the sign or door to show it’s being shared. It’s crazy to have a line out the ladies room and an empty men’s room. Small one stall rooms should be unisex.

it’s for the protection of the gals so they know which one is bound to be the most sanitary. I doubt that woman would want to find themselves in schmootsville. I’ve used the ladies room a few times…..nice.

I stayed at hostels in Europe where the bathrooms and shower rooms are unisex, and I’ve never seen a problem. It is the fastest way to accomplish things.

Yeah, those type. But locker rooms with showers? I like to keep those seperate.

No I don’t. Some people are creepy.

@J0E Exactly! Could you imagine how a unisex multi-stall bathroom would be like with people of different genders with their pants down in the same room? lol

When it is a single-toilet unit with a door and a lock, I have not problem with using the men’s room—especially when the women’s room has a long time of women waiting and the men’s is empty. When it comes to multiple-stall bathrooms, though, I prefer single-sex. My reason might sound a little odd, but here it is: When I use the public mirror to fix my hair or put on lipgloss or something, I would feel a little self-conscious —I’d rather not have guys see me engaged in these (vain?) “backstage” activities. Just a little quirk of mine, I guess.

No, because then there are two bathrooms instead of just the one – which is usually how it works when there’s a unisex bathroom. I’ve seen men go into womens’, women go into mens’, no one has ever seemed to care.

People, people, people!! @Mikewlf337 Please read the details. We are NOT talking about multi-stalled restrooms! We’re talking about single room bathrooms with doors that lock!

@answerjill I wouldn’t want to use a multi stalled unisex bathroom either. Guys tend to let their imaginations go a little wild….“There’s a woman with her pants down right next to me!!!!!” Tries to peek under the stall…

@J0E if a person is really creepy I doubt that a sign saying “Women” is going to deter him! In fact, not knowing what gender may come in next MAY deter him!

@woodcutter I’ve been in podunk places that only HAVE one restroom. I never felt squeamish about using it. It doesn’t bother me to use the men’s room at all. I’d rather do that than wait in line for 15 minutes to use the women’s room. That’s silly, when there is a perfectly good bathroom open. If it’s germs you’re worried about, I guess they’re all the same germs in either room. The same germs are in your neighbor’s house. And in your own house.
When talking about single rooms with doors that lock, separate bathrooms are silly, IMO.

@Dutchess_III I suppose the safe thing to do is “hover” over the pot in unfamiliar rest rooms. Or spread t.p. on the seat. In most men’s rooms there is always man spray on the seat that I don’t want to sit in. It’s just plain gross. If there is a long line at the woman’s head, it’s long for a reason maybe? Sorry, just never have seen a perfectly good bathroom for the men’s side, the gal’s are always better. If you ever encounter a highly toxic woman’s room you can betcha bottom dolla the men’s side is wrecked, FUBAR, off the grid, etc. Don’t go in there.
Sure my bathroom has germs in there, but they’re MY germs. I won’t harm myself with my own venom.

@Dutchess_III I did read the details and I did answer your question! I was agreeing with J0E. I really don’t appreciate you calling me out on the entire thread to make it seem like I am not reading the details. Seems like alot a few members of fluther like to do that.

@woodcutter IMO, you’re being overly cautious. Nothing’s going to happen to you. Do you fret about the toilet seat when you’re at a party, or when you visit a friend’s house? Do you ever find yourself in a position to use an outhouse?

@Mikewlf337 Sorry. I agree, it wouldn’t be a good idea to have a uni-sex bathroom if it had stalls.

@Dutchess_III I suppose having someone else’s pee dribble stuck to my butt for a few hours wont hurt me but who needs it?

Well, if you’re guilty of “hovering” over a public toilet seat then you, more than likely, sprayed the seat yourself. I just don’t worry about things that don’t need to be worried about.

@Dutchess_III didn’t say i hovered all the time. Just in those where the creepy factor was high. No guilt here. I’ve been in some really gross facilities in my lifetime, rest stops and gas stations, and don’t get me started with porta-potty’s. Usually I do #1 and the deuce in the same position, not stand in front then turn around and sit so sitting in my own pee can’t happen. We guys do it just like the gals when it comes to a 2-fer. You don’t get onto guys for not lifting the seat before they go? I always thought that was a universal pet peeve of women. Anywho, most men don’t like squatting into pee either if it can be avoided.

I don’t think anyone would knowingly squat into pee! There is so much unseen stuff around us that would freak us out if we knew we were touching it…so I just don’t worry about any of it. I wash my hands occasionally, and I’m good.