Posted by Steph on 28/11/2008, 3:48 pm, in reply to "Re: use of disabled toilets?"

The generalisation of disabled toilet has been a real blessing over the last ten years for me. Especially in airports were I used to stress so much about not peeing on planes that sometime I couldn't even use normal cubicles two hours before take-off and ended up keeping a full bladder fro up to 10 hours... The disabled loo give you some real privacy and your own space to chill out and eventually pee without problem. I have never let anyone give me any shit about this, be it toilets attendants who try to prevent me from using them or other users who feel like they are more entitled to use them and give me a bad look or even verbally complain. No one carries a disable logo tatooed on his forehead and disability can be invisible for other people. I also happen to have chronic lower spine problem and also find the disabled toilet seats much better for my chronic pain as they tend to be much higher than regular ones. I am 6'3 and if I sit on a seat that's too low it will eventually trigger pain and then numbness in my back/groin/pelvis after 5mns. Does it show on my face or in the way I walk when I enter the disabled loo or leave it ? Absolutely not. If someone tries to bully me on me using the disabled loo I am happy to give them a lecture on either spinal compression or paruresis. And I often consider paruresis a much worse disability than my spinal problem. So don't let anyone bully you in the loo. That's a good start to deal with your AP. Everyone with a legitimate reason is entitled to use the disabled loo. And you are the only judge here. Don't give a damn about what the others think. Only your own conscience and comfort matter. You will always be someone else's disabled/abled person anyway. One thing disabilities of any kind should teach you is tolerance. Sorry for sounding angry here but I feel quite strong about this. I hope that helps. Steph

414