Female staff in men´s restrooms

[Fernando]

Hello,

I frequently find myself in the need to use a restroom, in which for many times now, I´ve noticed is maintained by cleaning persons of the opposite sex. However, when I enter the bathroom and a cleaning lady is inside I just pretend to wash my hands and leave. Is it acceptable to go inside a stall in this situation?

 

[JLM]

No it is not acceptable. If there is a cleaning lady in the restroom, turn around and leave.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

I disagree. If a female custodian is cleaning a men's room, she should leave during the time you're in the room. If she does not leave, and you're uncomfortable with her in there, you can say "Excuse me, but could I possibly trouble you to wait outside for just a moment?" If you don't mind if she's there, she still might, so it's good manners for you to say something like "Excuse me, but would it be all right if I used this stall here?" Either way, she should get the hint and leave. If she just isn't leaving, at least you have the privacy of the stall.

 

[Steve B.]

FYI in the state of CA it's legal for women to use the men's room and vice versa. Most often seen with women invoking the privilege during rock concert intermissions...

 

[Mike C.]

Is it acceptable to go inside a stall in this situation?

Are you kidding me? If she wants to enter a mans territory, then that's her problem. She just better brace herself for the hurricane that is sometimes whipped up in there...lol. Who the hell would put a women in a men's bathroom anyway, that is absurd.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

This is a matter of etiquette.  There is a female that cleans our office's bathrooms in the middle of the day, usually mid-morning.  She will knock and wait until no one is in the men's room before entering.  Conversely, if I see that she is cleaning the men's room, I will use the men's room on another floor.

 

[Fernando]

Thanks for your opinions regarding my question. I am currently in France, and something I have noticed is that for the French, the attitudes that they have towards gender and elimination are more relaxed. They do not have taboos regarding gender and elimination. Actually a few weeks ago I entered a unisex restroom with 2 stalls for men and 1 stall for women. One of the stalls was occupied by a man. There were also 3 urinals.

 

[LA Guy]

Seriously, I don't see why this is a big issue. The cleaning lady will usually leave the room as a common courtesy, but if she doesn't, and you feel uncomfortable, use a stall. She is just doing her job, not trying to check you out. And if she does, just hope that she likes what she sees.

 

[Fernando]

Today I experienced once again cleaning persons of the opposite sex in the men´s room. However there were several men using the facilities and ignoring the weird situation. There was no cleaning signs so I went inside and to my surprise there was a cleaning lady. I remembered your opinions concerning etiquette so I asked the cleaning lady if it was possible to use the bathroom. She said go ahead so I entered. However she did not leave. Personally I don´t care but I think she should at least ask if you don´t mind her being in the restroom.

 

[vero_group]

She cleans bathrooms for a living. She is probably de-sensitized to the whole social aspect of it. Pee and move on.

 

[Fernando]

Is there a sexual aspect of a woman in a men´s room? I think there might be a sexual part about going to the bathroom, basically because private parts are involved. However I don´t think there is something sexual other than that. That´s why a cleaning lady in a men´s bathroom is no big deal. Besides there are certain acceptable situations in which there can be an exception to the rule and this is one. She is doing her job. That doesn´t mean that for society as a whole, a woman in a men´s territory is acceptable in a different situation. Also, the fact that the lady is a stranger is very important. The fact that there are stalls in the bathroom plays and important role too. A man urinating at the urinals is more offensive to a woman than a man defecating in one of the stalls, because ********* is involved and in close proximity to the woman. That´s my opinion.

 

[vero_group]

I didn't say sexual aspect; I said social aspect.

We are over-ANALyzing here... ;-)

 

[LA Guy]

We are over-ANALyzing here... ;-)

Nice...

 

[Just Me]

Personally I would be offended if a female extended such a pereceived right as to be in the restroom cleaning when there are guys there. As a matter of professionalism and ethics the female should not wait to be asked to leave, she should just leave and return or close the restroom completely off until she is done.

If a man were in the females restroom and did not leave, the guy would no doubt be accused of some act or lude thing and undoubtedly would be fired. So why do women assert a right they would not permit men to have?

 

[Fernando]

I agree that a woman allowed in a men´s restroom is a right men don´t have the opposite way. In reality, if men and women are supposedely equal a cleaning guy could enter a women´s restroom while women are using it. In theory it is possible but the truth is that the guy would be arrested and women would be freaked out. Men are considered not to care about those issues. Probably less self conscious about their biological functions than women.