It’s Not Just Trans People Who Hate Public Bathrooms

Most of us have had at least one awful public bathroom experience. Whether it’s trying not to accidentally make eye contact through a stall gap, hearing way more than you ever wanted to hear from the next cubicle over, or discovering that a child has somehow managed to crawl under the door while you’re peeing, public washrooms can be surprisingly uncomfortable places for something we all use every day. In this episode of Gender in Focus, El and Kai unpack why so many public bathrooms feel awkward to use, where those infamous stall gaps actually came from, and why conversations around trans-inclusive washroom design are starting to reshape the way people think about privacy, accessibility, and public spaces more broadly. 00:00 Introduction 00:37 Why do public bathroom stalls have gaps? 01:39 The biggest frustrations with public washrooms 03:19 Why privacy matters in public washrooms 04:55 The surprising history of bathroom stall design 06:29 Why bathroom stalls still have gaps 08:04 How washroom design affects trans and non-binary people 09:40 Unexpected accessibility challenges 11:22 Why some people avoid public washrooms 13:01 Designing better washrooms 14:38 Practical privacy improvements 16:13 Low-cost changes organizations can make 17:52 Renovating existing washrooms 19:38 Better washroom design benefits everyone 21:13 Final thoughts They discuss: • Why so many bathroom stalls in have huge gaps around the doors • How public bathroom design can create very different experiences for trans and non-binary people • The stress, safety calculations, and health risks that can come with navigating public washrooms for trans and non-binary people • Why some people avoid public bathrooms altogether • Practical ways organizations can improve privacy and comfort without needing a massive renovation budget • Why better washroom design benefits far more people than many realize Whether you work in architecture, accessibility, facilities management, DEI, or you’re simply someone who has ever tried to hang a coat over a bathroom stall gap for an extra bit of privacy, this episode will probably change the way you think about public washrooms. #PublicBathrooms #WashroomDesign #TransInclusion #Architecture #Accessibility #BathroomDesign #InclusiveDesign 🔔 SUPPORT THE CHANNEL Subscribe to Gender in Focus for weekly episodes on diversity, inclusion, gender identity and what actually supports trans and non-binary people. Hit the LIKE button if this video brought you value! Share this video with a friend who is on their own allyship journey. Connect with us online: 🌐 Website: www.TransFocus.ca ✉️ Email: [email protected] ➡️ Have feedback for us? Fill in this short survey: https://podcastsurvey.scoreapp.com/ Join us on social media: LinkedIn:   / transfocus-consulting   Instagram: www.instagram.com/transfocusconsulting TikTok:   / transfocus   Threads: https://www.threads.com/@transfocusco... Facebook:   / transfocusinc