Mixed Sexes in the Restroom
I frequently leave my house so I can hole up in my cubicle at the office. Some labors are just easier away from the distractions of home and friends. I have the place to myself, better Net access, and a much nicer monitor.
On the way up last week, I stopped at a Schlotzsky's on 183 North for lunch. Thoughts about what to eat were interrupted by the need to wash my hands, so I walked past the counter and headed to the bathrooms. They hadn't moved since I last ate at the restaurant, but the door to the male bathroom on the left was mummified in yellow CAUTION tape and centrally affixed was a sign explaining it was out of order. The female bathroom to the right also had a sign, explaining that for the time being, it was a "unisex" bathroom.
No big deal, right? Well, it was interesting to remember my reaction as I walked in and saw a young Indian-Pakistani man and what I assume was his younger sister, who was cleaning her hands while he waited. I couldn't recall the last time I had been in a bathroom with a female at the same time. Even more interesting, as I washed my hands and after the two left, a young white girl walked in and paused at the door when she saw me. Despite the signs outside, she still asked if it was OK for her to enter.
Is there an almost universal prohibition on members of the opposite sex using the same bathroom at the same time? Culturally, I suspect most Americans have been raised to think that way. My surprise at actually encountering the two youngsters and the third person's hesitation still strikes me as odd. I consider myself an open-minded person (once we dispense with certain philosophical fundamentals, of course) and even though I didn't freak out or anything when it happened, I'm still amazed how temporarily disturbed my mindset was.