Is it sexist against women to keep public loos shut?

In light of a campaign to open up existing facilities

‘ We can’t leave women virtually housebound ’ ‘ I avoid them like the plague–or Covid-19 ’

YES

NO MAN would ever pick ‘clean toilets in the city’ as his Mastermind specialist subject. But I would, and my score would be impressively high.

As the owner of a midlife bladder, I need to know where I can pop to if I’m out and about for more than a couple of hours. Top tip: a McDonald’s will always have a clean loo.

Midlife women around the country will have the equivalent knowledge about their areas, as urinary incontinence affects up to 40 per cent of us. Symptoms range from the inconvenient (frequent loo stops) to the debilitating (not being able to get to the loo in time).

No one in charge of Loo Lockdown thought of that, of course. Or should I say no man in charge of Loo Lockdown, because a woman would have understood the implications of shutting not just public toilets, but the department stores, pubs and cafes that so many of us rely on.

All the nice things we can do again — seeing friends in parks, going for long walks — are still off limits to many women due to a lack of loos.

If 40 per cent of middle-aged men felt they couldn’t be away from home for more than an hour or so without being caught short, would we be having this debate? Of course not. But no man has ever had to plan an afternoon’s walk around where to find the best comfort breaks, or have a ‘safety stop’ before a car journey.

No man has ever looked at a trampoline at a children’s party and thought ‘Better not’ for personal reasons. And if a man does get caught short, the physical logistics are pretty straightforward. Not so for women.

So yes, this is very much a women’s issue. Female incontinence is caused by a weakening of the pelvic floor. It’s common in midlife, thanks to a drop in oestrogen. And though public loos may be closed, biology doesn’t stop.

I know it’s a question of hygiene, due to Covid. But while we can’t control how often facilities are cleaned, we must trust that women can alter their habits regarding hand-washing and touching taps or flushes.

Now High Streets start opening up, I will return with caution to my trusted loo stops. But access to clean public toilets is the only way to avoid having to resort to a more adventurous option during walks for so many women. I’m not happy about this, but the only alternative is being virtually housebound.

So come on gentlemen, have a little solidarity. We all feel the call of nature. Let’s get public toilets reopened.

NO

LIKE many women, I’ve spent much of my adult life on the lookout for the nearest loo.

I am shameless about walking into posh hotels in Dublin, or in Rome or Paris when on holiday, and heading straight for the ‘powder room’ with the confidence of a longstanding guest.

By comparison, I’ve always avoided public loos, as they are generally not well looked after and I half expect to pick up something nasty.

So it’s not surprising that these facilities have needed to be shut during the coronavirus crisis, given how unhygienic they can be at the best of times. For heaven’s sake, let’s not turn this into a feminist issue.

As far as I’m concerned it’s a gender-neutral problem. If, for example, you suffer from Crohn’s disease or colitis, or you’ve just scoffed a dodgy curry, there’s no difference between your urgent requirements whether you’re a man or a woman.

I accept we need more loos for women than men in theatres, for example — it’s a wonder one ever gets to the second half with those queues snaking through the foyer.

But the reasonable, feminist argument that the lack of public loos discriminates against women doesn’t hold water as far as the current situation is concerned. It’s an emergency after all, and we have to knuckle down and cope with the restrictions.

Admittedly, my partner is more relaxed about a foray into the bushes to answer the call of nature than I am, but if needs must, I will do what’s necessary. Rather than giving this sensitive topic a sexist slant, the only approach worth taking is a practical one. Far better for women to try to work out their needs in advance, and restrict their fluid intake. It makes more sense to work on your pelvic floor muscles than expose yourself to catching Covid-19.

As lockdown restrictions reduce and the demand for public toilets grows, we need a plan for social distancing, frequent cleaning schedules and compulsory handwashing — hopefully a lesson most of us have learned by now.

And no one should go near a public loo without hand sanitiser to use after touching a flush or tap.

But the issue of how soon to reopen public facilities should have nothing to do with gender or cries of discrimination, and all to do with the safety of the public.

I think everyone should avoid public toilets like the plague (or rather Covid-19) for the foreseeable future. And I say that as a feminist.