But per tradition, I’m making a new 50-questions blog on the same day every year as an open journal for how my life has changed over the years. Previous 50-questions: As a user of "all-gender restrooms" there's this one behavior that creeps me out · 4:46am Dec 11th, 2024
Currently, I use the all-gender restroom whenever it is available, even if I have to go out of the way to find one. Even in the Bay Area, they are far from ubiquitous. I've never had any negative experiences in the men's room, I just don't feel comfortable going in there wearing women's clothes.
The all-gender restrooms I've been to are generally built to the "best practice standard", with full height cubicles and a shared sink area. Or, sometimes it is a single-occupancy room with a sink and toilet, similar to a "family restroom".
(Photo for illustration only. Source)
So you know what ticks me off? When two people go into adjacent cubicles, and start CHATTING WITH EACH OTHER. 
And even though the cubicles are nearly airtight, I can still hear the whole conversation. Like, if the purpose of all-gender restrooms is to provide privacy for all occupants, that sense of privacy just feels violated when a full conversation can be heard.
My design brain wonders if we need to build these cubicles more soundproof? Or, I dunno, make it a social taboo to talk in the bathroom? (Maybe I'm a prude but I REALLY don't want to talk with you while you're taking a pee/poo. 
)
Regardless, do I prefer using an all-gender restroom over a men's restroom? Yes. My belief is that harassment can happen in any kind of restroom, no matter how well you design it for privacy. The primary goal should be to police harassment and abuse in the bathroom, instead of one's sex.
I’m racking my brains and can almost never recall ever coming across a shared restroom myself. As a single-occupancy room (aka those family restrooms) with a sink and toilet, absolutely (usually in restaurants) but not ones with multiple cubicles. Not even in airports. Maybe I saw some when I was I. New York, I can’t remember, but certainly not here in Ireland.
I’ve also nearly never seen this talking between cubicles, but it is the sort of thing I would believe more in America. Though perhaps being shared restroom, when people are often separated into the different ones and thus are just doing their business (
), has something to do with it. It does sound a bit insufferable.
Do you still use the men’s when no shared restroom is available then, I presume?
People chatting in restrooms is weird in general. It's not a place for socializing!
5820476
Yeah I’ll use the men’s room if there’s no viable alternative.
And I suppose they are still more common in the Bay Area than elsewhere in the world
5820481
I know right!?
I always tend to use gender neutral restrooms when they're available as well.
It is just weird to have a conversation in the bathroom though? Why now? Can't you wait 4 minutes?
Women's restrooms are full of people having conversations in adjacent stalls, LOL. I think this is likely an issue in any restroom but a men's restroom, at least from what guy friends have told me.
5820957
My experience is it was two guys talking with each other.
IDK about women’s restrooms, but that sounds believable to me