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On a trip with my school orchestra, we stopped to go to the bathroom. I wear women's pants sometimes, so I can't put my phone in my pockets sometimes. I needed to pull up my pants, but I had my phone in my hands. I looked for a spot to put it, and the only option was the toilet paper dispenser, which was curved. I set it down and it slides off immediately and bounces under the stall into the one next to me. As I left my stall I had to stop one of my peers from going into that stall because my phone was in it. It was embarrassing and I was worried someone would think I was trying to record someone.

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90% of restrooms are not made for fat people. They’re incredibly narrow, the height of the TP dispenser is right in your knee and there’s no concern for mobility issues or maneuvering. The way the locks are made for the partitions if you touch one side with your knee the lock pops out and the door opens. It’s embarrassing and it shouldn’t be. The only option is the ADA bathroom but so many places are grandfathered in they don’t update them and it just makes the space uncomfortable. I have some places I will not go to the bathroom in because of the experience.

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I have had urinary tract problems my entire life, and as soon as I entered elementary school it became an instant source of bullying. I am male, but have never been able to stand up to pee, and it generally takes me between 10-15 minutes to urinate, so to the common restroom goes it appears I'm having a bowel movement.

I could not begin to count the number of times other children my age made fart sounds or pounded on the door to my stall on their way out, knowing I'd never be able to identify them. Their anonymity gave them freedom to be cruel without fear of punishment, and it happened well into adulthood, because children who become comfortable with being cruel often become adults comfortable with being cruel.

Thankfully the last decade has seen a decrease in such behavior, but I still worry every time I go to the restroom weather or not I'll be made fun of yet again for a medical problem I cannot control that looks like a bodily function we all do.

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We wish to learn about your experiences, questions, and ideas for improving restroom design. Being in this study is totally voluntary.

To participate, you will contribute short stories, questions, and suggestions as described on the exhibit posters. This should take approximately 15 minutes of your time. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

You can stop participating at any time. Your contributions will be treated confidentially, and no one will be able to link your story back to you unless you wish to be identified as the author. If you wish to be identified, include your name as you want it to appear in your contributions.  Otherwise, do not include your name or other information that could be used to identify you. You will not be paid for being in this study.

Questions? Please contact Beth Tauke at 716 829 3483. If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant, you can contact the UB research participant advocate at 716-888-4845 or researchadvocate@buffalo.edu. This research has been reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (“IRB”). An IRB is a committee that provides ethical and regulatory oversight of research that involves human subjects.

By submitting content to this site you are confirming that you are 18 years of age or older and grant the research team from the University at Buffalo (UB) permission to distribute and/or use your contributions in research presentations, publications, for educational uses, in exhibits, or through any other venue. All media will become the property of UB.  You are also acknowledging that you will make no monetary claim against UB for the use of your contributions.

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Shouldn’t all stall partitions be full height ?  At least they could be within a few inches of the ceiling and floor like they are in Europe!

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In many places like college campuses and airports almost everyone is carrying a bag like a backpack or purse. Why don’t all stalls have strong hooks so we don’t have to put them in the floor?

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Hilarious Public Restroom Signs (40 pics)

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These are hilarious and unusual public restroom signs observed in different countries around the world.

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Lia Thomas, a transgender woman and competitive swimmer at the U. of Pennsylvania, was accused of exposing herself in the women’s locker room by Riley Gaines, a swimmer from the U. of Kentucky. Gaines has been traveling the country making this and other incendiary allegations at conservative events and on right-wing media. A viral story that Gaines was awarded a settlement in a lawsuit against Lia Thomas was proven to be false. While Gaines portrays herself as a victim, there is plenty of evidence that trans people are much more likely to be victims of harassment and violence than other groups, especially in locker rooms, as this story vividly demonstrates. Gaines speaking fees are not public.     [compiled from media news stories]

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I like this sign...It is simple, can be made tactile for blind people, and very clear on who the intended users are. What do you think?