It's no longer difficult for mothers to take boys to the toilet

  Investigation on the construction and use of the third toilet in public places

  ● In recent years, many places have actively implemented the "Urban Public Toilet Design Standards" revised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, exploring the installation of third toilets in public places such as hospitals, commercial districts, transportation hub areas, scenic spots, etc.

  ● At present, the number of third toilets is relatively small. Even if the third toilet is installed in some public places, there are still situations such as low utilization rate and fuzzy signs

  ● Space and cost are important considerations for the establishment and promotion of the third bathroom. If these two problems are not solved, then the promotion of the third bathroom will be difficult.

  □ The reporter's trainee reporter Zhang Shoukun

  □ Our reporter Han Dandong

  At about 17:00 on July 2, the waiting room on the second floor of Beijing South Railway Station.

When Ms. Zhang was waiting for the bus with her 4-year-old son, the child suddenly clamored to go to the toilet.

Originally, Ms. Zhang planned to take her child to the women’s toilet, but found that Beijing South Railway Station had set up a third toilet, so she took the child into the third toilet to solve the toilet problem.

  "This really solves the big trouble for parents! I take my son out alone, and often encounter the problem of going to the toilet. There are always a lot of inconveniences in taking boys and children to the women's toilet, and the child has gradually become gender-conscious. The third bathroom This problem is solved very well." Ms. Zhang told the reporter of "Rules of Law Daily".

  Many people have experienced the problem that Ms. Zhang encountered: parents of the opposite sex take their children out alone, and they may be looked at strangely when they go to the toilet together, and there is a safety hazard when their children go to the toilet alone.

Recently, "how to treat mothers taking boys into women's toilets" has once become a hot topic.

  In order to solve this problem, in recent years, many localities have actively implemented the "Urban Public Toilet Design Standards" revised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, exploring the installation of third toilets in public places such as hospitals, commercial districts, transportation hub areas, and scenic spots.

  The so-called third toilet refers to the toilet specially set up in the toilet for people with behavioral disabilities or relatives (especially the opposite sex) who cannot take care of themselves. It mainly refers to the daughter assisting the old father, the son assisting the old mother, and the mother assisting the child. Boys, fathers assisting little girls, etc.

The third toilet generally has an independent structure, where people do not interfere with each other, and are equipped with corresponding facilities suitable for the disabled.

  What is the current situation of the third toilet?

What is the usage rate?

What problems need to be solved to promote the third toilet?

With these questions in mind, the reporter conducted an in-depth investigation and interview.

  Avoid embarrassment and provide convenience

  Large demand for the third toilet

  On June 12, the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the Guogou Plaza in Suzhou City, Anhui Province was crowded with people.

Outside a public toilet, reporter statistics found that within one hour that morning, five mothers took their three or four-year-old boys to the women's toilet.

  "There is no way. I wanted to find a male cleaner to help, but I couldn't find it for a while, and the child was anxious to go to the bathroom. To be honest, it was really embarrassing for boys to go to the women's bathroom." One of the mothers, Ms. Liu, told reporters. If there is a separate third bathroom, I will definitely take the child to the third bathroom.

  The reporter noticed that there was also a male parent who entrusted a lady who had just come out of the toilet to help take his 4-year-old daughter to the toilet.

"It's even more embarrassing for girls to go to the men's toilet. I usually take my children out alone and ask them to go to the toilet first. Today the child drinks a lot of water, so I ran into the problem of going to the toilet." The male parent said helplessly. .

  Regarding the issue of heterosexual parents taking their children to the toilet, the reporter recently visited Beijing, Tianjin, Anhui and other places to investigate. Among the dozens of passers-by interviewed randomly, most of them held an understanding attitude, but also pointed out that if the child is older, If you are over five or six years old or taller, in order to protect your privacy and avoid embarrassment, you should let them go to the toilet independently or ask others for help.

  There are also interviewees who clearly oppose heterosexual parents taking their children to the toilet.

"Some children are curious, look around and ask some questions, which is very uncomfortable. I have encountered them before and have quarrels." A woman told reporters in Joy City, Tianjin.

  It is generally proposed that public places such as shopping malls and tourist attractions should set up independent and private sanitary places like the third toilet.

  In addition to the difficulty of opposite-sex parents taking their children out to go to the bathroom alone, the reporter found that children of the opposite sex also encounter similar problems when they go out alone with their older and inconvenient parents.

  "Once, when I was pushing my mother to walk in the park, she suddenly had a stomachache. My mother was over seventy years old and had difficulty in moving. The toilets in the park were only for men and women. Fortunately, there was a cleaning aunt to help." Beijing citizen Zhang The husband recalled that a similar situation had been encountered several times before, and it was indeed inconvenient to travel and go shopping in the mall.

  An industry insider (pseudonym) who has been following transgender groups for a long time told reporters that transgender groups also have real needs for the third bathroom.

When transgender people dress and live with a psychological gender, they also face moral and legal dilemmas when going to the toilet.

"For example, for a transgender male to female, his mentality is female, but his physical characteristics are male. He does not want to go to the men's bathroom, but going to the women's bathroom will be regarded as a pervert or a transvestite."

  It is in this context that the third bathroom came into being.

  Li Jing, a teacher at the Law School of the China Institute of Labor Relations, told a reporter from the Rule of Law Daily that the third toilet is a special need, but it is not a minority.

"Whether it is going to amusement parks, shopping malls or scenic spots, it is common for parents of the opposite sex to bring their children. If conditions permit, it is the best choice not to take children to the toilets of the opposite sex. For other family members in need, third The bathroom also provides them with a better choice."

  Humanization is one of the primary elements considered in the construction of a modern city. The establishment of the third toilet can fully demonstrate the humanization of urban management.

In Li Jing's view, the third bathroom can not only ensure the safety of children, but also protect the privacy of others, avoid gender embarrassment, and reflect the delicacy of urban social services.

  Insufficient number and weak awareness

  Low utilization rate of fuzzy logo

  During the interview, the reporter found that many people resonated when talking about the difficulty of parents of the opposite sex taking their children to the toilet, and believed that a sanitary place similar to the third toilet should be set up.

But at the same time, many people have never heard of or used the third bathroom.

  In fact, as early as the end of 2016, the "Urban Public Toilet Design Standards" revised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development required that fixed public toilets of the first type in cities, public toilets of second-level and above hospitals, commercial areas, and important public toilets Facilities and movable public toilets in the area of ​​important transportation and passenger transportation facilities shall be equipped with a third toilet.

  In December 2016, the former National Tourism Administration issued the "Notice on Accelerating the Construction of the Third Toilet (Family Toilet)", requiring that all 5A-level tourist attractions across the country should be equipped with a third toilet.

  However, the reporter visited many shopping malls, outdoor public toilets, transportation hubs, and gymnasiums in Beijing, Tianjin, Anhui and other places and found that the number of third toilets was relatively small.

According to media reports, as of the end of 2018, even in a metropolis like Shanghai, the proportion of the third toilet in public toilets was only 14%.

  On June 24, the reporter came to a hospital in Chaoyang District, Beijing, and went around in the treatment building, and found that the hospital only had men's and women's toilets, and a barrier-free toilet was set up in the men's bathroom.

There are children of the opposite sex who bring their elderly parents to the toilet. Some elderly people move slowly, but they can only go to the toilet on their own.

  On June 28, the reporter came to Tianjin Joy City. After consulting the store service staff, we learned that there are maternity and infant rooms and parent-child toilets on the southern and fourth floors of the second floor, both of which can be used as the third toilet.

However, the reporter visited the public toilets on the first to fifth floors of the mall, and none of the above facilities were found.

Barrier-free toilets are not provided on every floor, and many barrier-free toilets are not illuminated or under repair.

  At that time, there were a lot of people in the mall, and many parents brought their children, including parents of the opposite sex.

The way everyone goes to the toilet is basically the same: ask the cleaning staff or clerk to take your child to the toilet, if it doesn't work, bring your own.

  When it comes to the third toilet, many people regard the barrier-free toilet as the third toilet.

  Zhou Wei, a professor at Sichuan University Law School, said that barrier-free toilets and the third toilet are different in terms of construction standards, design, signs, and applicable people.

For example, barrier-free toilets will be equipped with special barrier-free facilities, such as safety handrails, etc. The construction standards of the third toilet are different from this.

  Even if a third toilet is installed in some public places, the utilization rate is not high.

  On June 21, the reporter walked into the third bathroom of Wukesong Station of Beijing Subway and saw that in addition to the handrails that facilitate the disabled to go to the toilet, there is also a special toilet space for children, a toilet for children, and baby care. Taiwan, complete facilities.

The reporter observed outside for half an hour, and no passengers entered the third bathroom.

  The cleaning staff said that very few people use this bathroom on weekdays.

Several parents with children said in an interview that they had no idea that there was a third toilet in the subway station, nor did they know the function and function of the third toilet.

  In addition, the reporter noticed that some third toilets still have blurred signs, locked doors, and piled up debris.

  Many places with third toilets only have signs for barrier-free toilets, and some only have signs for general toilets. If you don't walk inside the toilet, you won't know the specific configuration of the toilet.

For example, the public toilets on some floors of Tianjin Joy City clearly have barrier-free toilet signs on them, but after entering, they found only male and female toilets with steps.

  In a shopping mall in Tianjin, a cleaner told reporters that the third bathroom has a small number of users, and there are many facilities inside. It is easy to damage and is troublesome to clean, so it is gradually abandoned.

  Pay attention to cost space issues

  Actively seek multiple solutions

  Public toilets are an important window to reflect urban civilization.

With the in-depth advancement of the "toilet revolution", various localities and departments are paying more and more attention to the issue of the third bathroom, using practical actions to do practical things for the private sector.

  Recently, Baoding, Hebei, took the opportunity of creating a sanitary city, newly built and renovated 347 public toilets in the city, and the third toilet became standard equipment, making quality life more "convenient".

Last year, the world’s first spring scenic area in Jinan, Shandong completed the renovation and upgrading of five toilets in Daming Lake Scenic Area, Yanyutang, Chaoran Tower, Nanfeng Temple, Minghuju, and Baotu Spring Scenic Area South Gate, mainly including wall and floor replacement, and addition of women’s toilets. Number of seats, fresh air system, adding a third toilet, etc.

  According to the Ministry of Transport, from June 8 to December 31 this year, the Ministry of Transport will continue to deepen the "toilet revolution" special action in highway service areas from increasing the number of toilets, improving sanitation facilities, and strengthening cleaning management. , Reasonably add a third toilet, improve children's toilet facilities, and meet the needs of family members of the opposite sex.

  Regarding how to further promote the construction and use of the third bathroom, many interviewees suggested that in addition to increasing the construction efforts, it is necessary to do a good job of publicity to let everyone know the existence and function of the third bathroom; the design should be simple and easy to understand. The indication signs of the toilet shall be posted in places where people can easily see; the facilities and equipment of the third toilet shall be maintained and repaired in time, and the cleaning work shall be done well.

  Zhou Wei analyzed and pointed out that space and cost are important considerations for the establishment and promotion of the third bathroom. If these two problems are not solved, then the promotion of the third bathroom will be difficult.

  Li Jing believes that the promotion of the third bathroom has both conceptual and legal problems.

"Take barrier-free toilets as an example. The Regulations on the Construction of Barrier-Free Facilities have been issued for many years. All provinces and cities have regulations on the construction of barrier-free facilities, but it has not been developed until recent years because many people did not realize the construction of barrier-free facilities. The necessity of toilets. To promote the construction of the third toilet, it is more necessary to change concepts and strengthen publicity. At the same time, the policy orientation of the third toilet is obvious, but it lacks legal and regulatory support. If the third toilet can be considered in local legislation, it will be It is more conducive to promotion."

  Li Jing suggested that in the process of construction and renovation, the barrier-free toilet and the third toilet can be merged and adjusted according to the construction and design standards of both parties, which not only saves costs, but also does not waste space.

It is difficult to set up men's and women's toilets, barrier-free toilets and family toilets in some places, but it is more feasible to build or renovate a comprehensive third toilet.

  In Li Jing's view, the third toilet should become a standard feature in public places, and the logo should be uniform and eye-catching. Consider using men and women, children, and people in wheelchairs as the logo to facilitate people's identification.

  Zhou Wei suggested that promoting the construction of the third toilet requires two-way effort. First, more people must understand what the third toilet is and what needs it has; secondly, after the relevant departments understand the social needs, they should formulate relevant policies with a target.

  As for the transgender group, Walnut puts forward its own view: The internal functional design of the third bathroom is not much different from that of an ordinary bathroom, so it is a good choice to set up a genderless bathroom.

Regardless of gender, they are all small compartments, and each compartment is closed and private, and everyone can use it, which can improve the efficiency of use.