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Two queueing theorists of Ghent University investigated why queues at restrooms are invariably longer for ladies than for men. Time and time again. What are the main causes for this disparity? And how can it be overcome? Moving to unisex toilets, it appears from this study, may reduce waiting times for women from over 6 minutes to less than a minute and a half. Already a symbol for transgender equality, unisex toilets can hence boast excellent figures when it comes to reducing waiting times. Or, how transgender-friendliness may help in battling female-unfriendly toilet culture.
It turns out there are three main causes for the difference in waiting time between men and women. A first factor explaining why women wait longer is that the net number of toilets for women is smaller than that for men. This is because the total surface area is often divided equally while a toilet cabin inevitably takes up more space than a urinal. Overall, an average toilet area can accommodate 20 to 30 percent more toilets for men (urinals + cabins) than for women.
A second reason is that according to scientific studies women spend one and a half up to two times as long on the toilet. The reasons are mostly practical. In contrast to a urinal, a door must be opened and closed twice, a toilet seat needs cleaning, and more and more difficult clothes have to be taken off and on. This results in an average time spent at the toilet of 1 minute for men and 1 minute and 30 seconds for women.
A third factor is the overall activity at the restroom. As long as it's not too busy, the overall effect of ladies having a smaller number of toilets and spending more time on those toilets does not lead to long queues. However when for example everybody heads home, more women arrive at the toilets than the system can handle. This condition amplifies the above effects and results in outrageous waiting times for women.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-07-lengths-restroom.html
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday July 17 2017, @11:38PM (3 children)
If architects weren't being stupid, they would just make their drawings with three times as many women's stalls as men's. And, yes, you've got to count the urinals as a "stall". The whole thing goes back to times when women stayed home, and men "brought home the bacon". Back then, an equal count of facilities was overly generous to the women who did work, because there were so few of them.
Of course, that doesn't explain why movie theaters and such don't have triple the facilities for women, as they do for men.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 18 2017, @12:38AM (2 children)
Why should women get 3x as much space and resources than men? Because they are uncomfortable using urinal-equivalents where their genitals are exposed to anybody who wants to stare? Well, some men are, too. However, the men can be told to "man up and stop whining," unlike those precious women.
I guess sexism is okay when it is against the man.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday July 18 2017, @12:46AM (1 child)
The question isn't "why", but "why not?" Sounds to me like you're a fucking whiner. If you don't want me to see your teenie weenie in the restroom, go into a stall, and close the god damned door. You can even sit down to pee, if you like. There aren't any potty police watching to see that you're doing it "right".
(Score: 2) by Webweasel on Tuesday July 18 2017, @01:32PM
Wanna put a bet on that?
http://www.mapsu.org/ [mapsu.org]
Priyom.org Number stations, Russian Military radio. "You are a bad, bad man. Do you have any other virtues?"-Runaway1956