Toilet queues disproportionately impact women — but desperate times don't always call for desperate measures
Research shows women are 34 times more likely than men to be queued for bathrooms. (ABC News: Stephan Hammat/Adobe Stock)
In short:
New analysis shows women are 34 times more likely than men to be queued for bathrooms.
A researcher says there often aren't enough cubicles for women to use.
What's next?
The Australian Building Codes Board wants to reduce the problem by imposing revised standards that would increase the minimum number of cubicles in women's bathrooms in some new buildings, including theatres and cinemas.
A slow and painful crawl towards the bathroom in an endless queue is a situation most women would rather avoid.
But for theatre entertainer Libby Trainor Parker, it can also mean racing her audience during intermission so she is back on stage in time for the second act.
"As a performer, women's bathroom lines can be so hectic that it can delay the performance quite significantly, especially during intermission," Ms Trainor Parker said.
"I have been known to pop into the men's occasionally, if it gets really dire."
Libby Trainor Parker says queuing for women's bathrooms can be "hectic" at theatres and venues. (ABC News: Ashlin Blieschke)
The Adelaide comedian and cabaret performer is all-too-familiar with the long queues that often snake around the women's bathroom.
And she's not alone — with a new analysis finding women are 34 times more likely than men to be queued for bathrooms.
"It is really frustrating. As soon as you see the line, I think everyone goes, 'Ugh, here we go again'," Ms Trainor Parker said.
"You just know that you won't be able to get a drink before you have to go back in, or you won't be able to socialise, and you're going to be there for ages.
"[And] you just see the men going in and out very quickly, just like a lovely production line."
Facilities often lack enough cubicles for smooth traffic flow, experts say. (ABC News: Giulio Saggin)
Having sat on both sides of the curtain, she said long wait times were a nuisance for performers and patrons alike, and admitted that, on one occasion, she "didn't make it".
"That was really not good, because I had to go on stage. I had to then change my entire costume, which then changed up the act a little bit," Ms Trainor Parker said.
"There's been other times where I've had to pre-plan going and miss the end of a good show."
Public spaces historically not inclusive
Churchill Fellow and public toilet researcher Katherine Webber said multiple factors contributed to the "common" sight of women queuing for bathrooms.
Katherine Webber says a range of factors contribute to the fact that women are more likely to queue for bathrooms. (Supplied)
Among these were pregnancy, menstruation and accompanying young children — all of which Ms Webber said resulted in longer and more frequent toilet visits for women.
"Additionally, sometimes our clothing and our accessories — such as our bags — can make it really challenging to use the toilet in a very quick ... fashion," she said.
A more significant factor cited by Ms Webber was public planning requirements.
"Historically, when public spaces were being built in industrial cities, often public toilets for women would not be included, they were only built for men," she said.
"So, it's taken a long time for public spaces to include toilets for women."
Pregnancy, menstruation and accompanying young children lead to longer and more frequent toilet visits for women, Ms Webber says. (Unsplash: Wilhelm Gunkel/CC0)
While women's bathrooms are now required to be constructed under national building codes, Ms Webber said facilities often lacked enough cubicles for smooth traffic flow.
"Men have options; they can duck in and out and use urinals rather quickly," Ms Webber said.
"[But] when we're looking at the design of women's bathrooms, often there are not enough cubicles for women to use."
Proposal for change
The issue of queuing for women's bathrooms has been raised in a new proposal by the Australian Building Codes Board.
The agency — which writes the national construction code — is seeking to increase the minimum number of cubicles in women's bathrooms required in new single-auditorium theatres and cinemas.
Chief executive Gary Rake said the agency undertook an analysis to quantify the issue.
Gary Rake says the proposal, if endorsed, would see more cubicles built in women's bathrooms in new theatres and cinemas. (ABC News)
"At entertainment venues, like a theatre, there are very particular peak usage times, such as immediately before the show, at the intermission, and immediately after the show," Mr Rake said.
"At the worst of queuing, we could see women queuing for 13 minutes, compared to only nine minutes for men. That's a 50 per cent difference and that's something we want to fix."
If endorsed, the board's proposal would amend the national construction code and increase the number of cubicles built in women's bathrooms.
"A small facility with a target capacity of 300 people would have, at the moment, four closet pans for women. Under our revised proposal that would increase by 50 per cent to six," Mr Rake said.
"If we move to a larger theatre, one that had a capacity of around 5,000 people, currently we have 34 closet pans, and under the new proposal we'd increase that to 46."
Entertainment venues have "particular peak usage times", Mr Rake says. (Picjumbo.com)
Mr Rake said that, depending on circumstances, women could still be stuck waiting between three to seven minutes longer than men — but the proposal would reduce the amount of time women spend queuing during a venue's busiest periods.
"For smaller facilities, some of the worst queuing would be reduced to as little as three minutes," he said.
"There'll be many times when, under these new provisions, there'll be no queuing at all, and that's the kind of benefit we're really after."
The proposal aims to reduce the amount of time women spend queuing for the bathroom. (ABC Canberra: Michael Black)
If endorsed, the decision to adopt the new standard would reside with states and territories — but Mr Rake said he was hoping for a "harmonised approach" across the country.
"It is worth us solving as a community for health reasons, for comfort reasons, for economic reasons. It's in everyone's interests to make this better," he said.
'Solving the world's problems in line'
Ms Webber said the agency's proposal was a step forward in solving an "equity issue".
Katherine Webber believes there is scope to expand the proposal to other types of buildings. (ABC News: Hannah Ross)
"I think there is an opportunity to expand this proposal across different building types," Ms Webber said.
"Improving access to gender-neutral or accessible toilets for families, for people who are trans and gender diverse, could also decrease the waitlist for women's toilets."
The thought of more toilets was welcomed by Ms Trainor Parker, who needs quick access due to endometriosis and pelvic pain.
She said while it could be "really, really tricky" for those who — like herself — simply could not hold on, queuing with others could spark unlikely friendships.
Libby Trainor Parker welcomes the idea of more toilets. (ABC News: Ashlin Blieschke)
"I have to say that I've met some of the best people in a toilet line. I think we have the best conversations — we're solving the world's problems in a toilet line," Ms Trainor Parker said.
"But I also think it is so difficult for people with health conditions, pregnant people, and people for whom it's anxiety-driven to even go to a bathroom.
"Having more toilets can help with that kind of thing."