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rockfan's avatar

What's your opinion on this kind of bathroom? Do you think it might attract exhibitionists?

Asked by rockfan (14632points) September 24th, 2017 from iPhone

My college library has a bathroom in which there’s one stall and two urinals, but it’s also a general bathroom for anyone, and a sign outside the door says “For added privacy, please lock the door.”

Obviously, I don’t think this will pose any problems, but a teacher raised a concern that an exhibitionist might keep the door unlocked on purpose so a female can walk in while he’s at the urinal, which has no privacy barriers.

I think that point is arbitrary, considering the fact that an exhibitionist can already do that in any public bathroom.

Your thoughts?

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15 Answers

snowberry's avatar

I’d wait until he’d left or go find another toilet. There have been times that I’ve inadvertently walked into the men’s restroom. “Oops! My bad!”

As long as there’s a lock on the door, it’s not a biggie.

zenvelo's avatar

Your teacher is making a bogeyman out of a silly possibility to force a change in the bathroom.

Exhibitionists don’t want to wait around don the off chance someone walks in. They’ll go exhibit themselves somewhere more in public.

This doesn’t happen at all the many existing bathrooms that are not designated for use by one gender or another. Kudos to the library for opening a former men’s room to be used by anyone.

rojo's avatar

It is a suggestion, not a rule. If it makes you feel more comfortable do it. If you are more stable and normal, leave it unlocked so others are able to use the facility. It was obviously designed for more than one occupant.

flutherother's avatar

I’d keep the door unlocked so the facilities can be fully used.

JLeslie's avatar

Is there other bathrooms for women?

I think it’s odd to have a bathroom like that be unisex. I’m totally fine with unisex bathrooms in general, but I would never expect it to have two urinals out in the open plus a stall. I think there is a risk a woman walks in on some guy or guys peeing at the urinal. Not that the men purposefully leave it unlocked, but that it doesn’t occur to them to lock the door possibly. I think the urinals should be behind a wall and everyone can share the sinks to save room. Or, maybe they could have fit two unisex single bathrooms in that space.

ragingloli's avatar

The bigger problem is the fact that some poor sod who really needs to take a piss might find himself before a locked door, just because some selfish prick wants some ‘privacy’.

JLeslie's avatar

I can’t believe people are focusing on the guy inside wanting privacy rather than a woman walking in on a guy taking a piss. I must be missing something. I take “anyone” to mean any gender.

@ragingloli How often do men give a damn about needing privacy in bathroom that has a similar format?

kritiper's avatar

If a exhibitionist wants to exhibit, he/she can run down the hall naked. What can you do??
I once went into a men’s restroom and there was a elderly overweight woman, peeing in the urinal. Backwards!

flutherother's avatar

@kritiper How do I get that image out of my head?

stanleybmanly's avatar

It’s insignificant to the point of being a nonissue. More than once I’ve stood at a urinal and experienced some desperate woman bursting into the men’s room oblivious to anything other than reaching an empty stall.

kritiper's avatar

@stanleybmanly A stall is one thing, a urinal is another.

josie's avatar

I doubt if it will attract exhibitionists.
I’m sure it will never be a problem.

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