New York City Council to consider "potty parity" bill

[MaineDem]

New York-AP -- Several New York City lawmakers want to set aside more bathrooms for women, saying "potty parity" is no laughing matter.

Public interest law professor John Banzhaf says it's simple -- women need more restrooms than men because they take longer. He's filed legal complaints on the subject, and says it's a matter of gender equality.

Not all men are supporters of the idea. One Manhattan man says women take more time because they're primping. And he wonders about the cost.

More - http://www.wmtw.com/Global/story.asp?S=1549608&nav=7k6sBu3U

I believe Massachusetts went through this a few years ago. A time study was done of men and women going to the facilities. Without any sort of "primping" women definitely took longer to perform the same function as men.

[eyesroll]

1. Well, not to get graphic or anything, but...

Women can't just use a urinal. We have clothing to remove. We have clothing to put back on. Sometimes, we have hygiene products to worry about.

Besides, I can speak with reasonable certainty that women don't actually "primp" in the stalls -- they do that at a mirror. Place the mirror away from the sinks and there's no backup there either.

Hm...story idea...potty parity (I write about the janitorial industry).

[Logansquare]

3. And add another minute if pantyhose are involved

A guy can be in and out of a restroom in less than a minute, but a woman has to go into the booth, close the door, hang up coat/purse, remove any item of clothing in the way, do her business, and then reverse the whole process--two minutes minimum, and usually longer if, as eyesroll puts it "hygiene products" are involved.

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. "women definitely took longer to perform the same function as men. "

. . well duuuuh !

. . haven't met a gurl yet that can pee standing up !

(but I've heard that some can - but definitely in a minority!!)

and I also suspect that women pay more attention to washing their hands afterwards.

Jus' A Canuk's Observations

[MaineDem]

4. I once thought men must have one big urinal...

and it was a sort of drive-by facility. No actually stopping required. :evilgrin:

I swear, while I waited in an enormously long line at Fenway Park one evening waiting to get into the Ladies Room, I saw men go into and come out of the Men's Room at least twice. :D I was in a L-O-N-G line!

[Chovexani]

5. This reminds me of an old TV Nation bit

This reminds me of an old TV Nation (or Awful Truth? I forget) bit with Karen Duffy...the Johns of Justice. She got this truck filled with Port-a-Potties and drove it around wherever she saw a line for the ladies' room. :) I thought that was one of the best things they ever did, on either of Michael Moore's shows.

Of course I'm a woman so I might be biased. :P Seriously, something really ought to be done about this. It is *hell* trying to find a ladies' room in this town. And when you do find one there's always a line because they're smaller. Madison Square Garden is awful about that (well, most older sports arenas are terrible about that, not just MSG).

[mainer]

6. Don't forget the babies and children

Most kids go into the restrooms with their mothers. How often do you see a man bring a baby into a bathroom to change its diaper? Or sit there breastfeeding it? Or stand patiently outside a toilet stall while their four-year-old poops?

And what about pregnant women who must, by necessity, pee more often?

If men insist on equal numbers of potties, they're just going to have to wait until they can offer women pay, parenting and housecleaning parity.

[kittykitty]

7. Woman’s Guide on How to Pee Standing UP

Yes, it can be done! But where in New York City, I can't imagine. Maybe join the guys at a urinal?

When the original Woman’s Guide on How to Pee Standing was first created in 1997, we only had the “finger-assist” method, listed halfway down this page. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then. We’ve had over three million visitors to the Guide, and thousands of women from all walks of life, from doctors to forest firefighters, to policewomen have sent us encouraging e-mail, sharing their mostly positive thoughts on this very personal topic.

(more)
http://www.restrooms.org/standing.html

[papau]

8. very cute - thanks for posting! :-)

:-)

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. Aha !! make all "potties" UNISEX - when MEN gotta wait - things'll change!

. . crazy idea ?

. . worth a try

heck - we don't have "boys" and "gurl" bathrooms in most of our homes

so why in public ?

we DO know what goes on in these cubicles

So what's the big deal ?

Sheesh - time we lost some of our "shame" of normal functions?