During the pandemic, many people have felt their urinary leashes grow tighter.
The urinary leash—a sociological euphemism for the distance one can venture from their home before returning because they have to use the toilet—has been cut for many people by the closures and lockdowns of the pandemic. For parents and people with inflammatory bowel issues like Crohn’s disease, access to bathrooms when out in the world is a requirement, but many urban go-to bathroom options like cafes and libraries are currently closed.
Here is where the humble public bathroom saves the day. But as noted by writers such as Lezlie Lowe, author of No Place To Go: How Public Toilets Fail Our Private Needs, cities have hardly enough places for people to pee. Even when public toilets are available in cities—and many cities such as New York, Sydney, and Paris do have extensive offerings—they’re often under-maintained, potentially dangerous, or inexplicably locked.
+INFO: Fast Company
