Dissent is alive and well in ChinaToday the China Daily News reported that Wang Lailin, 20, a university student from Zhengzhou, in Central China's Henan province, felt her first flush of success after she used the men's toilet in Beijing.
"Women were waiting outside and some were using the men's toilet. So I followed them. It was quicker and I saved time as I had a train to catch," she said.
Wang is one of those who has benefited from the "Occupy Men's Toilet" group, which wants more public conveniences for women. Female students in Beijing on Sunday occupied cubicles in the men's toilet near Deshengmen. Their purpose was to make sure that women who were waiting outside could use the facilities first. Volunteers outside the toilet held banners demanding "More conveniences for women, more gender equality", and "If you love her, don't let her wait in line".
The first occupation on Feb 19 at a public toilet in Guangzhou, set off a fierce public debate. The occupation the women said is on a temporary basis out of understanding for men's needs. "We only occupy the men's restroom for 3 minutes, holding it for women who are in a hurry to go to the toilet. A new round of 'occupation' follows 10 minutes later.
An elderly man in his 70s, who declined to be named, was angry at the occupation. "How could you do this? Men's toilets are built for men, not for women. What if a man wants to go to the toilet? It's over the top," he said. And then there is this comment from an urban planner "The number of women's cubicles should be increased in some places, such as shopping malls, because women go shopping more often than men". Hmmmm, might have to call this one a somewhat sexist observation.
My advice to all women visiting China, not that I have had any personal experience but I'd take a pass on using any public washroom, mens or womens.
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