would you mind posting the full video as a regular youtube video? it wouldn’t show up in Shorts, but you’d be able to link the short to the full thing! if my explanation was confusing, Drew Talbert does this a lot :) i deleted tiktok a year ago and i hate having to watch on the web version lol
I have Tourettes and everyone says that I don't need it but using a normal one is so hard bc when I have my hand flicks I always get really bad bruises ❤
I assume the people telling you this do not have Tourettes syndrome? It's always the wrong people trying to police people who simply want to go in peace 🙄
I'm going to assume most of the people saying this to you don't need to use disabled toilets themselves as a (physically)disabled person that needs to use disabled toilets please use a disabled toilet I don't like the thought of people getting hurt hope you are doing well ❤
I have Tourette Syndrome too, and I sometimes use the disabled toilet when my tics are bad because I feel more comfortable and other people probably prefer that too. Do what you need to do 🫶
I have TS too, I never thought about using it when my tics are bad, maybe I should do that. Also, totally feel for you on the hand bruises, especially around the knuckles!
Ouch, that must not only be painful but embarrassing when you come out with bruises or know other people hear your hand hitting the wall. Sorry you have to go through that.
It should be your very last option if you don't NEED the accessible stall. But if the rest are full, and you gotta go bad, it's all good to use it. Just dont sit acrolling on your phone in case there's someone coming who can ONLY use that stall.
Omg thanks!!! first resonable person here❤️❤️❤️ Reading those comments feels like 90% of people feel like they have a reason to use it even tho they can go into a normal stall but i can only fit into the disabled ones.
In theory, I COULD use the smaller stalls. I fit in em (barely) and I'm physically able to do my business. But I've got sensory issues and the smaller spaces can make me super anxious. I don't strictly *need* to use disabled toilets, but I have a disability and they improve my quality of life. I think the solution is for places to have more disabled toilets, not to demonize/blame folk who aren't strictly within the need category who also use them for their own reasons. (Not that you're necessarily doing thst.)
Exactly, the 1 and only time that I use the disabled toilet is because every other toilet has been taken. I also know some parents will use them with their kids who are still learning to potty as it gives enough space to help their kid undress and squat next to them, wipe them etc.
In some men’s restrooms the only stall is the accessible stall, and I dont have the facilities to use a urinal lol. (But then technically I am physically disabled by male standards)
@@sebighoul4715 in general bathrooms should be bigger, I mean, I don't know how it is in other places but I've been to several public bathrooms where you can't even turn, and you have to do a dance to be able to close the door, and the walls touch your elbows, and I'm small, not thin actually but I think a hobbit is taller... I can't imagine how taller and bigger people use them...
Funny enough! I saw a pregnant woman get yelled at by a wheel chair user for using the disabled toilet. The wheelchair person literally said “ being pregnant isn’t a disability. You choose to carry that thing. We don’t have a choice” The pregnant lady was on the verge of crying lol
That's cause some ppl feel entitled. That's the problem with society. We allow certain ppl to act a certain way because of their situation despite it having nothing to do with how they should treat others. We shouldn't be letting ppl act out of line like that wheelchair user.
there are 2 more things i can think of: 1. people who could suffer from the smell in a normal toilet in any way 2. those weird situations (especially at some stations on the elizabeth line in london) where there ks only a disabled toilet and no standard toilets, usually due to lack of space
The first point is covered by "sensory overload" she gave the example of noise, but it can just as well be smell. The second point is covered by "toilet emergency" if you can't keep it in until you reach another toilet, then it is an emergency. So I would not say that you added anything to the discussion. :-)
As a disabled person I am perfectly fine with someone using a disabled bathroom if they have absolutely nowhere else to go. Just don't linger in one, use it and leave. Honestly I'm not bothered by someone using it if it's the only stall open either. As long as a disabled person has priority and again you don't linger
From the USA here. Most of our disabled toilets are just a larger stall in the main bathroom. They also usually have hand rails and the baby changing table in them. So I’d add people will small babies/children to that list. I also tend to use them when I have to take all 3 of my kids into the bathroom with me because they aren’t old enough to wait safely outside the stall for me to get done.
I always feel so bad for using the disabled toilet while not being a disabled person (I'm a trans guy, feel uncomfortable in female bathrooms and scared in male ones) so this video made me really happy, I never know if it's actually wrong for me to use it or not.
It is made to be accommodating. And that is exactly your situation. A bit more accommodation. :-) don't feel bad about it. I can't stand in line at Disneyland/Legoland, and so on. And I feel bad for getting free skip line badges/fast travel passes, despite me knowing that I would be extremely uncomfortable in line. Lines used to drain my social batteries, and once I fainted in line. And yet I feel bad about it. 😅 This is an example of accommodation given to me, that I feel bad about.
Me too, i don't feel insanely unsafe in the mens, especially if nobody's in there, but i live in norway so if i used the men's the teachers would tell my parents :////
Same here, I usually try not to but the ones on campus are always so uncomfortable. The gender neutral bathroom that was originally a mens room was also too much cause it was still a public room. I also appreciated the inclusion of people who need the space, I'm fat and so many of the campus stalls can't fit me.
I don't have a disability but there have been times the disabled toilet is the only one available and I NEED to go and I've used it. I try to avoid it but sometime you just gotta go 😂
I think that's a pretty common thing. In most public restrooms I have been in, the regular size stalls are the first to fill up and when they are completely full it's fine to use the ada stall. Especially if there is a long line of people waiting.
As someone with autism and ADHD I find I'm increasingly starting to use the disabled toilet if it's unlocked due to a lot of standard toilets getting smaller each time a place is renovated (a lot of places like shopping centres have their disabled toilet locked (probably to stop illegal activities) and security are one of the only ones with the key). I sort of feel bad for doing this because I could use the standard toilet if needed, but I know I'll most likely feel overwhelmed if I use a standard toilet. Especially if the toilet area is very small. I've come across a lot of toilet areas so small I can hardly close the door because the toilet is so close, so that's one of the reasons why I have to use the disabled toilet often.
I feel the same way but for a kinda different reason In public restrooms it’s sometimes so silent that I can’t bring myself to make a single movement or noise (and that includes doing my business) I don’t go out enough to really use public restrooms. Before I go out somewhere I use the bathroom in my house so I won’t have to when I’m out. I don’t usually go into a disabled restroom but I physically can’t bring myself to use a public restroom unless the largest stall is available (my anxiety is just too bad 😭)
Not only are the normal toilets now so much smaller, but I have a service dog, and I can no longer fit her in a standard stall like I used to be able to. And she’s not a giant dog. Ten years ago my previous dog and I could use any stall. Now my current dog and I only have the disabled stall available.
Other audhd person here. I have huge troubles with waiting in lines and I am usually patient with things like for example videogames not progressing because of my lack of skill or waiting for me and my family to go out when I've already gotten ready and wait for the others to get ready, but whenever it's waiting in a public space, I can barely move because I have to stand or sit (according to the social norms) and especially when there is no WiFi and I can't even try to distract myself using the internet (which can help but especially when standing in line, it makes absolutely no difference) and that's why I often turn to using the disabled toilet. As a kid I was not aware of safe spaces and therefore I just destroyed other people's safespace by just going to the men's toilet, that usually has less people waiting or none at all, but now that is not possible, since I am aware how I could ruin men's safespace with that. Also it's not like that men's or women's toilets are safespaces now for me because turns out I might be either Nonbinary or genderfluid or agender. Also, it has never been a safe space actually since I more and more realize I have always been nonconforming to gender roles and never felt quite right with being a full 100% woman and also because every space where I'm not alone or with trusted ones are declassified as spaces that are not safe because I have severe anxiety through trauma. (Which is why it's also important to me to not disrupt other people's safe spaces tbh) Also the stench of public toilets had me throw up once so there is that sensory situation and usually (due to being used way less) disabled toilets smell better.
In a case where there's many stalls available, I agree, but I work in a grocery store where there's only two gendered bathrooms, and within those two gendered bathrooms are two stalls total. One standard, one disability. If there's someone in the standard stall, you shouldn't stand around and wait when there's an available toilet right there unless it's known for a fact there's somebody with a disability making their way to the bathroom
As a disabled person, I somewhat agree. However, if someone is going to spend a long time in the disabled stall, and they don't specifically need to use it, then they should just wait for the other one to be available.
I am disabled. I completely agree. If there are regular, functional stalls available then a non- disabled person should use those. If an obviously disabled person is on their way to the bathroom then a nondisabled person shouldn't be using the disabled stalls or room. If there are no disabled people in, or noticeably headed towards the bathroom though, and the regular stalls are in use, unusable dirty, out of order, etc, I don't expect an abled person to stand around waiting if the disabled stall is available.
I have contamination ocd and the disabled toilets have saved me so much anxiety from accidentally touching the walls! But if everyone generally prefers the acessible stalls I feel like we should just not make regular stalls then if everyone hates them
Im glad you mentioned that ppl who need the extra space can use it cuz i find it nearly impossible to close the doors of normal stalls with my body size.
Yeah I am slim, but I am tall and most of the time the assessable toilets are much higher than the normal ones so I usually use them so I don’t have to squat so low. It’s awkward trying to get back up.
Same! I can (sometimes) squeeze into a regular stall, but the disabled one makes everything so much easier. I always try to be quick in and out though in case someone who can only use that toilet comes in.
I have multiple invisiblities but the main reason I use it is that I have very bad anxiety due to trauma and using a toilet in an unknown place makes me very anxious, which can cause me to get panic attacks. Especially if the walls don't reach all the way down. Having more space around me while still being private makes me feel safer. All that to say that there are many, many valid reasons why someone may use the disabled toilet and disablies come in all kinds. Not always visible and sometimes you may not consider things a disability while the person does. I've had people in my life scold me for going to the disabled toilet when I was having anxiety episodes because "anxiety isn't enough of a disability". Yes, yes it is. The panic attacks are disruptive to my day to day live. I have bad nerve damage due to having had too many panic attacks where hyperventilating has caused me to (nearly on most occasions, luckily) faint. I am disabled because of my anxiety, not even considering the rest.
I can also see a case for people with arthritis. My mother has arthritis which she passed to my siblings and I, and she definitely needs it because it gives her more space to stretch before getting back up rather than limiting her mobility further. The handles are also very useful too.
This. Getting up and down or even turning or reaching can be difficult with arthritis. The bar in the disabled bathroom can be the difference in being able to get up and down on the toilet.
I also have joint issues and the extra space is also good for applying wraps and or brazes. Which also why you shouldn’t assume two people in there are having intercourse, sometimes an extra pair of hands makes reapplying various things easier.
I am so glad that you recognize all different types of disabilities! It really validates me and others with invisible disabilities. I have autism and I often use the disabled toilet so I can have more room to calm down and freely move around to stim
On our way home from the hospital after my late husband was diagnosed with cancer and he had severe chrones he wanted to go in the grocery store with me so he could walk a little bit, (he was very weak still from a lot of blood transfusions) the Grocery we went to had just re-done the bathrooms with a code. It was so new that no one knew the codes. So he’s leaning on the cart about to collapse or go… on himself and I’m running around asking every employee I see to get him a bathroom. No one knew it so we left our cart of juices and broth that he wanted and got home as fast as we could. I told them he was sick. Getting put on hospice, and no one would help. It was CRAZY! He was only 41 when he died and he died about 2 months after this. No one would listen.
The insulin part really interested me. I have T1 diabetes and I was told it isn't ever really considered a disability. I was also told I should never be pressured to inject in a school toilet etc or feel like I have to hide away, so I usually inject wherever I happen to be. But sometimes it is just too inconvenient, and I completely understand that some diabetics might feel better using a disabled toilet to inject. Oddly I'd not really considered it before, but it makes sense!
I don’t inject insulin, but I do injections for another medication and I could see myself using a toilet instead of injecting in public because I’m worried about sanitation and people around me bumping me or getting upset I’m using needles
I could see situations where you really need a sink to be able to wash your hands first, or even the part of your body where you're putting the injection (like if you're very sweaty/dirty). Or if you're wearing inconvenient clothes, like a jumpsuit/overalls or basically any kind of formal wear
It's definitely a comfort thing for some people. My grandmother had zero issues doing it literally anywhere, but otoh I used to feel shame just taking standard medicine like ibuprofen or allergy meds in public (I no longer have that issue and at this point I make it a point to do so in public to help destigmatize)
I think it's a great idea to use disabled toilets for things like injecting medicine for personal comfort as well as public comfort, coming from someone who can't stand the sight of needles/people injecting needles
@@Goosethegaydino eh, I'm less on board for the public comfort bit. Diabetics NEED to use their insulin, it's kind of stigmatizating to demand they (or anyone else) go to the bathroom (which can be significantly less sanitary if it's not cleaned properly and regularly) to manage their medical conditions because it makes able bodied people uncomfortable to see you do something (that is sanitary) that you need to do to live. But to repeat: if the disabled person themself is more comfortable managing their stuff in private, like a bathroom, then it's absolutely the correct move to prioritize comfort.
Thank you for mentioning trans people. I’m an ambulatory wheelchair user so I use the disabled toilets but so does my trans daughter if there’s no one waiting
I am 7 months pregnant and really needed to hear this. I feel guilty using the disability stall or bathroom but the normal stalls are so tiny i have to press on my stomach to fit and close the door, and then getting back up is a nightmare without the bars!
I typically don't need to use the disabled toilets, but every once in a while I use them to calm down during a panic attack. The regular stalls feel too claustrophobic and my panic attacks are typically caused by sensory overload or social anxiety so having a mostly private space is better than being outside.
I have severe trauma from abuse and bullying- I use the disabled bathroom because I’m terrified of being mocked for making even the slightest sound. I also have autism and HATE the sound of the hand-dryers.
A couple examples I can think of is Claustrophobia because of how small normal ones are Some who might be having an anxiety attack (the small space can make them panic more) A family (a mom and her daughters)
My mom has an invisible disability (2 autoimmune diseases and fibromyalgia) and she's gotten told off or gotten dirty looks SO many times for using parking spaces or toilets she didn't "need". Thank you for bringing light to this topic, you can't always SEE if someone needs certain accommodations and we need to keep this on mind when judging others as well as keep in mind those aren't for you if you don't need them!!! I love that you brought up so many different circumstances in which one could have that need because I don't think people understand the full extent of why those things exist!
I remember walking onto a bus in Montreal and despite it being full, the handicapped seat remained empty and was eventually taken up by an elderly women. It made me happy to see there are still a lot of respectful people in this world
The fainting condition is so true. If you’re in a non-disabled stall you don’t have room to sit against a wall, and if you sit on the toilet you have a serious risk of injuring yourself if you do end up fainting.
OMG SHE KNOWS WHAT A STOMA IS,EVERY TIME I TELL SOMEONE " I have a stoma" THERE ALWAYS LIKE ".......u have a what?" Edit: this is so pathetic but 24 likes is the most I've ever got, lol Edit:wth,65 likes,HOW
@@SummerFlowyYTessentially it is a part in your abdomen/stomach area on the outside where the intestine is exposed to the outside. You cover the stoma with a bag to catch any waste product. People with diagnoses like Crohn’s disease and whatnot may get it to avoid painful passing of stool due to irritated intestinal linings or an irritated rectum, and can give them a greater freedom of life due to the fact they may not feel worried about their said diagnosis causing an issue while they’re out and about as they only need to worry about emptying/replacing the bag instead (correct me if I messed any of it up, I don’t have a stoma I just huperfixate on medical information)
We Shouldn't regulate others. But we should regulate ourselves. I absolutely agree. I have an invisible disability. Some days I need the big toilet. And some days I don't. It's not here to judge others. But we should be respectful of others. If I don't need it that day I try to use a regular toilet. Others I just wait for the big toilet.
I have urgency issues due to IBS, so it's nice to see that people like me are under the umbrella here as well. Most people dismiss it, sadly, and don't see it as debilitating as it truly is. Thank you!
I'm a parent with a disabled daughter. She doesn't use the restroom, but it is much safer for me to have the disabled stall/toliet with her since I usually have no one else with me to help. If I'm alone, I will suffer my sensory overload for a regular toliet/stall because I would rather leave the disabled area for those that need the space more.
Also, at some places the disabled toilet is also a changing station for children, or is the only place with a sanitary trash (like for used pads, etc), and sometimes its the only restroom accessible, like where i work there are two gender-neutral/disabled toilets that everyone in the building has to use
Thanks for teaching people this since some children never get taught about these things and may prevent somethings when they remember this knowledge , luv you‼️🏫🔥
I believe it is up to the individual. I have stress Incontinence. I will use whatever stall I can get into the quickest rather than wet myself. If it is not an urgent matter I can wait.
I wish invisible disabled persons were given this understanding. My mother is the survivor of two heart failures, due to a hereditary electric defect in her heart (and unfortunately that causes constant issues with the pacemaker), walking, getting up from a sitting position and other issues causes her heart rate to race and she can easily faint, so a safe toilet with room to position her and handles is necessary. But she gets harassed. My cousin has POTS and has similar issues, she gets harassed.
I'm sorry they get told off for it! I wonder if it would work to give the rude person a blank look and just say "I need the hand rails" Doesn't get into the details of their disability or arguing over invisible illnesses, just simply points out that they have a reason to use it
I definitely ran into the disabled toilet once or twice as a teen for a panic attacks and once to hide from some guy who I think was following me. They're a pretty universally available public safe space. Obviously if you don't need it, don't use it, but if you're in an emergency situation and don't know where you can turn, they're awesome. Like, you're at a club and there's a guy with crazy eyes who won't leave you alone? You can lock yourself in one to call for help, and there might even be a button or string to connect you straight to emergency services.
I get sensory overloaded, anxiety and an immune disorder where I can get light headed and have fainted on occasion but not often. Hearing you say this made me feel a lot more comfortable as I have always felt bad for using it as I always feel like someone else deserves it more than me
It’s because there’s more room in those toilets, they can be folded out of the way, and if they’re outside the toilet, it offers less privacy to a mother who may want it and can impact walking space when used/prevent another regular toilet from being installed. My only issue is that they’re usually only in the women’s bathroom and this is the case for my store too, so I’m forced to let men with babies into that bathroom.
I’m tall and obese. Regular stalls are sometimes uncomfortably narrow and the toilet roll holders are often too low or otherwise inconveniently placed. Sometimes I do use the handicap stall
A few weeks ago I got my period and every other toilet was occupied so I used the disabled one, when I came out there was a wheelchair user waiting to use it. I felt so bad even though she assured me it was ok for me to used it since it was an emergency 😅
It's such a relief to hear urgency issues as an acceptable reason tbh. It's definitely an invisible problem for me but it'll become a very visible problem if I don't get to a toilet soon enough. I've been through that and it's mortifying.
Also some places only have one toilet and thats then a toilet that includes all features a disabled person might need. Some grocery stores in Germany are like that. These toilets then are also sometimes not even marked and you have to know that its there...
I got screamed at a couple of weeks ago for being in the disabled toilet in a university. After she was done, I explained... Im water maintenance and I'm checking a leak. Both true. The kicker? I need the use of the handrail to be able stand up again if i was to use the bathroom. Its a shame that some people can't feel comfortable using the amenities that are put there for their well-being just because some people want to be judgemental, or on the other side, because someone decided it's more convenient for them when they don't need it.
I can't tell you how heart-warming it was as an ND person to hear you speak about people who are easily overwhelmed due to their Autism/ADHD. Constricting spaces combine with the loudness of regular toilets are a nightmare for me and it makes even using a restroom a lot harder than it needs to be so using disabled toilet is a much better option. Also, I fully support trans people ising disabled toilets for their own safety too and it's so nice to hear someone talk about it as well. You're such a ray of sunshine on my fyp, thank you for spreading awareness of invisible disabilities ❤
My college has stalls that I can’t physically fit in (wide shoulders, can’t clean up due to no movement space) I feel so bad every time I use a big stall but oh well :/
Thank you sooo much for adding sensory overwhelm!!! I have autism and going to public toilets can be very overstimulating and uncomfortable for various reasons. I appreciate this addition very much!
I really appreciate videos like this because with IBD I use the stalls with the least traffic since I'm much more vulnerable to diseases like C-Diff and have urgency issues. I try to avoid the disabled toilet when I can since I don't need it as much as someone else, but sometimes I just need to use the restroom or there isn't a gender neutral bathroom available. (Both tend to get less traffic so are generally safer, but not a guarantee.) It's amazing that you're bringing light to thing's like this and it's nice having this kind of positive reassurance and education.
I really appreciate you mentioning Sensory issues in this.. I've been wondering for ages if I can use it for this reason and mostly just don't and then get overwhelmed in the standard toilet 😅
I will also always advocate for service dog trainers to be able to use the disabled toilet. It’s incredibly hard (especially with big puppies) to keep them in line in the smaller stalls and the small stalls can cause injury
I have to use it when I have pushchair because for some reason they don’t put a toilet in the baby changing area 😂 so I have no choice but to take up the disabled toilet
I use the handicap stall only if the others are full. I have also used it when the other is so ridiculously small that only an acrobat is capable of using it.
Please note: If you do use a disabled toilet as a non-disabled person, do _NOT_ dick around on your phone. As a disabled trans man, it was _very_ uncomfortable having to use the women's restroom because some _asshole_ chose to watch RUclips on his fucking phone in the _only closed stall of the bathroom._
@@junebunny0712 That's true, but at my workplace there's a great big family/disabled bathroom on its own, then in the communal bathroom there's still disabled stalls, so I forgot about the designated family bathroom
In the US at least, the disabled stall is usually where the changing table for babies is. A lot of bathrooms are also labelled for both disabled use and family use. Also with a small potty trained toddler, i need the space to assist my toddler using the toilet. Im pregnant with twins now too and with this pregnancy have been struggling with low blood pressure and fainting, which is somwthing i did not experience with my first pregnancy that was a singleton.
@elliot4152 sometimes you need the extra space if you use insertable menstrual products, some stalls are so small you can't maneuver to take those out/put them in
When no one is around I use it. It’s always cleaner and more spacious. But it goes without saying that if someone is waiting to use it then I’ll go to the normal one. Simple
I use it if no one else is in there, is never take away from someone who needs it more, but the anxiety i get from small stalls and how easy it is for someone to literally watch you (it's happened to me a lot), makes it difficult, I'd rather use the big one.
As someone with severe ibs ive had to make a dash for the disabled toilet a few times if others arent available and i was literally torn down by a woman in a wheelchair as i was leaving it once, i did just reply to her that not all illnesses and disabilities are visible and told her to mind her own business x
basically, the determination is up to the user, not the audience. you make the decision when you go into the stall, you never visually judge anyone coming out of it
Thank you for mentioning people with sensory issues and the like. I am autistic, and when I was in high school, the bathroom was the only place I could go to have a meltdown/panic attack. Now, it has become a bit of a safe space for me. I try not to use it too often, but if it's unlikely anyone else will come into the bathroom anyways, I may use it. I'm glad you mentioned this as a possible reason someone may need that space.
I have various mild disabilities, which usually don't stop me using general toilets. However when some of my conditions are acting up, i have had to use the disabled toilets. And i always feel judged for it because i look fine.
I have this weird thing where I faint/get dizzy when standing up, so thank you for mentioning that. I need it so I don't whack my head on a toilet wall and get a concussion. Thanks so much for making everyone feel validated 💗
I don't know why you mentioning diabetic and trans people made me tear up immediately, as a type 1 diabetic who's only been diagnosed for 1 year, and also a trans man, it's such a difficult time navigating public bathrooms, it's so nice to hear that yes, it's okay that sometimes I use the disabled bathroom to inject insulin or to simply use it on a bad anxiety day that I'll get yelled at in the women's or possibly attacked in the men's. Thank you so much for mentioning that, it's made my evening
Honestly I think ALL toilet stalls should be made much bigger so this isn’t a problem, stalls are just so small and uncomfortable for everyone, and that needs to change
Another one to consider is recent injury or surgery! I dislocated my knee this past year and I had to use the accessible stall at first because I needed the hand rails, then mostly because I needed a bit of extra space in front because I couldn't bend my leg easily, and also I had crutches that were hard to fit in there with me otherwise
Thank you! Also since becoming a mum I've needed to use it when out with the kids by myself as I don't want to leave them out of sight and they can't always fit into the stall. Especially when you have a baby in a pram, you have to bring them with you and the disabled toilet is often the only option.
I have an invisible disability and I get bullied because I am also overweight. So I have this disability that nobody sees, and people at my school think I made it up so I wouldn’t have to walk up the stairs. I hate my body sometimes but I know what my issues are and it’s nobody else’s business, but it is difficult sometimes to deal with it. Your content makes me feel better
I distinctly remember in Elementary School that there was a bathroom at the school I went to that had 2 stalls (one normal and one for disabled people) I would always use the disabled one, not because I needed to, but because I liked the space and it had better lighting. Well, one time when I was using the bigger stall, a girl who had crutches came into the bathroom, and since I was in the big stall, she had to use the smaller stall. She made it work, but I felt so bad that I never used the bag stall again unless the other one was occupied.
I love that you advocate for invisible disabilities. I am visually impaired but don’t need to use a mobility cane all the time when my sight is strong enough or the area I’m in is not crowded and when I use it people often say but you can see , or sometimes I get stop faking it on my bad days and people just don’t understand why I can’t see normal distances
I have an invisible disability, and a service dog. If I have him with me, I need the disabled stall so that he’s able to fit in there with me (he’s a 75lb labradoodle) but if I don’t have him or am not using my chair, I always use the standard stalls. They’re disability accessible, not disability required ❤️
I have autism and I have to use it because I have extremely sensitive hearing and can't find it comfortable i have many phobias and one of them is claustrophobia and I have a lot of brake downs and one of the results for them is from crowding and lot of noise i can use the normal toilet but it is just very unlikely that i will find it comfortable great vid good content keep it going ❤️
As someone who os easily overstimulated and overwhelmed in public bathrooms, and has fainting spells from several head injuries, it makes me so happy to see this, it helps me feel validated. I'm continually told I shouldn't use the disabled bathroom,but I've passed out in a public bathroom before. TW. I was s**ually assaulted there.
I've always been criticized for using the disabled toilet. Tho I can walk I need a cane to get around. Ppl assume because I'm young I'm capable, but thats far from the truth. I need the bars in the disabled toilet to get back up. I cannot stand up from a normal toilet if there isn't anything to grab onto. I've been called lazy, and over weight all my life. But my disabilities go beyond that. Tho I can walk, I have very little feelings left in my lower extremists. I can't always tell if I'm stepping correctly or not. They also don't always work the way they are supposed to and I end up falling almost daily. Most ppl assume as a 24 year old none of these things could be happening to me
I'm glad you mentioned invisible disabilities. Pubs in the UK often put the normal toilet up a load of stairs that I often can't manage. I don't however "look disabled", so I often get abuse for using the disabled toilet that I have a Radar key for. Weirdly enough it's often from disabled people. I understand it must be frustrating to wait and they might have urgency issues however I only ever use it if I can't get to the normal toilet for want of a better word. I don't use a wheelchair so I don't need the extra space but I do need to actually be able to get to the toilet and lots of stairs often make that impossible for me.
I appreciate that you included things like trans people and people who have sensory issues, most people don’t consider things like that. Another case that I don’t believe was mentioned is a person who is having a panic or anxiety attack, and quickly need to find a quiet, private space to calm down.
The fact of the matter is, all toilets should accommodate disabled people. There shouldn't be a disabled toilet cuz all toilets should be universally accessable to different people. But alas we don't live in such world.
The best way to think about it is, for me, I can use any stall, but if someone using a wheelchair comes in to use the toilet, they can ONLY use that one stall. Easy switch for me, meaningful difference for them!
The disabled toilets are also large enough for potential paramedics. My blood sugar can drop randomly and violently, and while thank god I've only ever fainted once in public, using that stall meant the paramedics who helped me didn't have to worry about hitting me with the door when it was kicked open.
I only use it if im at a place wirh multiple ones. I get claustrophobic in the reg stalls. They are way to small! Thank you for explaining in a polite way.
RUclips doesn’t let me post the whole video so here is the longer version ❤vm.tiktok.com/ZGexww5Pe/
would you mind posting the full video as a regular youtube video? it wouldn’t show up in Shorts, but you’d be able to link the short to the full thing! if my explanation was confusing, Drew Talbert does this a lot :)
i deleted tiktok a year ago and i hate having to watch on the web version lol
Can I respectfully ask what disabilities/disability you have?
(Also I love ur hair!)
the link doesnt work (╥∆╥)
@Lyrix_Lyric Eliza doesn't share their personal medical information on the Internet! Apart from there autism diagnosis!
As a disabled girl I was treated like this by my principle yes I am young
I have Tourettes and everyone says that I don't need it but using a normal one is so hard bc when I have my hand flicks I always get really bad bruises ❤
I assume the people telling you this do not have Tourettes syndrome?
It's always the wrong people trying to police people who simply want to go in peace 🙄
I'm going to assume most of the people saying this to you don't need to use disabled toilets themselves as a (physically)disabled person that needs to use disabled toilets please use a disabled toilet I don't like the thought of people getting hurt hope you are doing well ❤
I have Tourette Syndrome too, and I sometimes use the disabled toilet when my tics are bad because I feel more comfortable and other people probably prefer that too. Do what you need to do 🫶
I have TS too, I never thought about using it when my tics are bad, maybe I should do that. Also, totally feel for you on the hand bruises, especially around the knuckles!
Ouch, that must not only be painful but embarrassing when you come out with bruises or know other people hear your hand hitting the wall. Sorry you have to go through that.
It should be your very last option if you don't NEED the accessible stall. But if the rest are full, and you gotta go bad, it's all good to use it. Just dont sit acrolling on your phone in case there's someone coming who can ONLY use that stall.
Omg thanks!!! first resonable person here❤️❤️❤️ Reading those comments feels like 90% of people feel like they have a reason to use it even tho they can go into a normal stall but i can only fit into the disabled ones.
In theory, I COULD use the smaller stalls. I fit in em (barely) and I'm physically able to do my business. But I've got sensory issues and the smaller spaces can make me super anxious. I don't strictly *need* to use disabled toilets, but I have a disability and they improve my quality of life. I think the solution is for places to have more disabled toilets, not to demonize/blame folk who aren't strictly within the need category who also use them for their own reasons. (Not that you're necessarily doing thst.)
Exactly, the 1 and only time that I use the disabled toilet is because every other toilet has been taken. I also know some parents will use them with their kids who are still learning to potty as it gives enough space to help their kid undress and squat next to them, wipe them etc.
In some men’s restrooms the only stall is the accessible stall, and I dont have the facilities to use a urinal lol. (But then technically I am physically disabled by male standards)
@@sebighoul4715 in general bathrooms should be bigger, I mean, I don't know how it is in other places but I've been to several public bathrooms where you can't even turn, and you have to do a dance to be able to close the door, and the walls touch your elbows, and I'm small, not thin actually but I think a hobbit is taller... I can't imagine how taller and bigger people use them...
Funny enough! I saw a pregnant woman get yelled at by a wheel chair user for using the disabled toilet.
The wheelchair person literally said “ being pregnant isn’t a disability. You choose to carry that thing. We don’t have a choice”
The pregnant lady was on the verge of crying lol
That's cause some ppl feel entitled. That's the problem with society. We allow certain ppl to act a certain way because of their situation despite it having nothing to do with how they should treat others. We shouldn't be letting ppl act out of line like that wheelchair user.
wtf
so like if i cut my own leg off on purpose i wouldn’t be disabled bcz its a choice? 😭
The handles would be great for a pregnant person or anyone with back problems getting up and down.
what a btch. the poor pregnant lady...
there are 2 more things i can think of:
1. people who could suffer from the smell in a normal toilet in any way
2. those weird situations (especially at some stations on the elizabeth line in london) where there ks only a disabled toilet and no standard toilets, usually due to lack of space
Claustrophobia as well, that's always a tricky one in my experience.
The first point is covered by "sensory overload" she gave the example of noise, but it can just as well be smell.
The second point is covered by "toilet emergency" if you can't keep it in until you reach another toilet, then it is an emergency.
So I would not say that you added anything to the discussion. :-)
@@taiwanisacountry true
@taiwanisacountry but it did clarify what a toilet emergency is
As a disabled person I am perfectly fine with someone using a disabled bathroom if they have absolutely nowhere else to go. Just don't linger in one, use it and leave. Honestly I'm not bothered by someone using it if it's the only stall open either. As long as a disabled person has priority and again you don't linger
From the USA here. Most of our disabled toilets are just a larger stall in the main bathroom. They also usually have hand rails and the baby changing table in them. So I’d add people will small babies/children to that list. I also tend to use them when I have to take all 3 of my kids into the bathroom with me because they aren’t old enough to wait safely outside the stall for me to get done.
Baby changing tables are generally either in their own stall, or provided in all bathrooms in the UK, so this isn't generally an issue.
I always feel so bad for using the disabled toilet while not being a disabled person (I'm a trans guy, feel uncomfortable in female bathrooms and scared in male ones) so this video made me really happy, I never know if it's actually wrong for me to use it or not.
It is made to be accommodating. And that is exactly your situation. A bit more accommodation. :-) don't feel bad about it.
I can't stand in line at Disneyland/Legoland, and so on. And I feel bad for getting free skip line badges/fast travel passes, despite me knowing that I would be extremely uncomfortable in line. Lines used to drain my social batteries, and once I fainted in line. And yet I feel bad about it. 😅 This is an example of accommodation given to me, that I feel bad about.
Me too, i don't feel insanely unsafe in the mens, especially if nobody's in there, but i live in norway so if i used the men's the teachers would tell my parents :////
Same here, I usually try not to but the ones on campus are always so uncomfortable. The gender neutral bathroom that was originally a mens room was also too much cause it was still a public room.
I also appreciated the inclusion of people who need the space, I'm fat and so many of the campus stalls can't fit me.
Never worry about it! No one should have to feel uncomfortable or unsafe accessing a basic human right
As a disabled trans guy don't feel bad. Men's bathrooms are terrifying
I don't have a disability but there have been times the disabled toilet is the only one available and I NEED to go and I've used it. I try to avoid it but sometime you just gotta go 😂
That's urgency issues
and sometimes it's also that the only toilet is the disabled toilet, usually due to lack of space
I think that's a pretty common thing. In most public restrooms I have been in, the regular size stalls are the first to fill up and when they are completely full it's fine to use the ada stall. Especially if there is a long line of people waiting.
Yeah one of the school bathrooms has two disabled toilets so I usually just use those
That's totally fair
As someone with autism and ADHD I find I'm increasingly starting to use the disabled toilet if it's unlocked due to a lot of standard toilets getting smaller each time a place is renovated (a lot of places like shopping centres have their disabled toilet locked (probably to stop illegal activities) and security are one of the only ones with the key). I sort of feel bad for doing this because I could use the standard toilet if needed, but I know I'll most likely feel overwhelmed if I use a standard toilet. Especially if the toilet area is very small. I've come across a lot of toilet areas so small I can hardly close the door because the toilet is so close, so that's one of the reasons why I have to use the disabled toilet often.
I feel the same way but for a kinda different reason
In public restrooms it’s sometimes so silent that I can’t bring myself to make a single movement or noise (and that includes doing my business)
I don’t go out enough to really use public restrooms. Before I go out somewhere I use the bathroom in my house so I won’t have to when I’m out. I don’t usually go into a disabled restroom but I physically can’t bring myself to use a public restroom unless the largest stall is available (my anxiety is just too bad 😭)
Not only are the normal toilets now so much smaller, but I have a service dog, and I can no longer fit her in a standard stall like I used to be able to. And she’s not a giant dog. Ten years ago my previous dog and I could use any stall. Now my current dog and I only have the disabled stall available.
Other audhd person here.
I have huge troubles with waiting in lines and I am usually patient with things like for example videogames not progressing because of my lack of skill or waiting for me and my family to go out when I've already gotten ready and wait for the others to get ready, but whenever it's waiting in a public space, I can barely move because I have to stand or sit (according to the social norms) and especially when there is no WiFi and I can't even try to distract myself using the internet (which can help but especially when standing in line, it makes absolutely no difference) and that's why I often turn to using the disabled toilet.
As a kid I was not aware of safe spaces and therefore I just destroyed other people's safespace by just going to the men's toilet, that usually has less people waiting or none at all, but now that is not possible, since I am aware how I could ruin men's safespace with that.
Also it's not like that men's or women's toilets are safespaces now for me because turns out I might be either Nonbinary or genderfluid or agender.
Also, it has never been a safe space actually since I more and more realize I have always been nonconforming to gender roles and never felt quite right with being a full 100% woman and also because every space where I'm not alone or with trusted ones are declassified as spaces that are not safe because I have severe anxiety through trauma.
(Which is why it's also important to me to not disrupt other people's safe spaces tbh)
Also the stench of public toilets had me throw up once so there is that sensory situation and usually (due to being used way less) disabled toilets smell better.
@@VerySourTaste I didn't know I relate to this until reading your comment lol
Same thanks to these videos I’m now going to use the disabled toilets bc sensory oberload is a big con of the normal toilets for me
In a case where there's many stalls available, I agree, but I work in a grocery store where there's only two gendered bathrooms, and within those two gendered bathrooms are two stalls total. One standard, one disability. If there's someone in the standard stall, you shouldn't stand around and wait when there's an available toilet right there unless it's known for a fact there's somebody with a disability making their way to the bathroom
As a disabled person, I somewhat agree. However, if someone is going to spend a long time in the disabled stall, and they don't specifically need to use it, then they should just wait for the other one to be available.
I am disabled. I completely agree.
If there are regular, functional stalls available then a non- disabled person should use those. If an obviously disabled person is on their way to the bathroom then a nondisabled person shouldn't be using the disabled stalls or room. If there are no disabled people in, or noticeably headed towards the bathroom though, and the regular stalls are in use, unusable dirty, out of order, etc, I don't expect an abled person to stand around waiting if the disabled stall is available.
I have contamination ocd and the disabled toilets have saved me so much anxiety from accidentally touching the walls! But if everyone generally prefers the acessible stalls I feel like we should just not make regular stalls then if everyone hates them
Im glad you mentioned that ppl who need the extra space can use it cuz i find it nearly impossible to close the doors of normal stalls with my body size.
Yeah I am slim, but I am tall and most of the time the assessable toilets are much higher than the normal ones so I usually use them so I don’t have to squat so low. It’s awkward trying to get back up.
Same! I can (sometimes) squeeze into a regular stall, but the disabled one makes everything so much easier. I always try to be quick in and out though in case someone who can only use that toilet comes in.
I am delighted by all of these videos, Eliza. I'm barely-visible disabled, and these things help so very much.
Thank you for educating us!
As a non-binary person with sensory issues I feel validated.
Me too! :)
Same here
Same! :)
Same! :)
Validation from a RUclips video, that’s a high
I have multiple invisiblities but the main reason I use it is that I have very bad anxiety due to trauma and using a toilet in an unknown place makes me very anxious, which can cause me to get panic attacks. Especially if the walls don't reach all the way down. Having more space around me while still being private makes me feel safer.
All that to say that there are many, many valid reasons why someone may use the disabled toilet and disablies come in all kinds. Not always visible and sometimes you may not consider things a disability while the person does.
I've had people in my life scold me for going to the disabled toilet when I was having anxiety episodes because "anxiety isn't enough of a disability". Yes, yes it is. The panic attacks are disruptive to my day to day live. I have bad nerve damage due to having had too many panic attacks where hyperventilating has caused me to (nearly on most occasions, luckily) faint.
I am disabled because of my anxiety, not even considering the rest.
Someone who has a service dog will also need that space as well. ❤❤❤
I can also see a case for people with arthritis. My mother has arthritis which she passed to my siblings and I, and she definitely needs it because it gives her more space to stretch before getting back up rather than limiting her mobility further. The handles are also very useful too.
This. Getting up and down or even turning or reaching can be difficult with arthritis. The bar in the disabled bathroom can be the difference in being able to get up and down on the toilet.
I also have joint issues and the extra space is also good for applying wraps and or brazes. Which also why you shouldn’t assume two people in there are having intercourse, sometimes an extra pair of hands makes reapplying various things easier.
I am so glad that you recognize all different types of disabilities! It really validates me and others with invisible disabilities. I have autism and I often use the disabled toilet so I can have more room to calm down and freely move around to stim
I thought I was the only one who did that lmaoo!! I be having a dance party in there sometimes bruh-
On our way home from the hospital after my late husband was diagnosed with cancer and he had severe chrones he wanted to go in the grocery store with me so he could walk a little bit, (he was very weak still from a lot of blood transfusions) the Grocery we went to had just re-done the bathrooms with a code. It was so new that no one knew the codes. So he’s leaning on the cart about to collapse or go… on himself and I’m running around asking every employee I see to get him a bathroom. No one knew it so we left our cart of juices and broth that he wanted and got home as fast as we could. I told them he was sick. Getting put on hospice, and no one would help. It was CRAZY! He was only 41 when he died and he died about 2 months after this. No one would listen.
We have a code for our toilet and I can’t imagine someone doing that to any of our customers, good lord.
The insulin part really interested me. I have T1 diabetes and I was told it isn't ever really considered a disability. I was also told I should never be pressured to inject in a school toilet etc or feel like I have to hide away, so I usually inject wherever I happen to be. But sometimes it is just too inconvenient, and I completely understand that some diabetics might feel better using a disabled toilet to inject. Oddly I'd not really considered it before, but it makes sense!
I don’t inject insulin, but I do injections for another medication and I could see myself using a toilet instead of injecting in public because I’m worried about sanitation and people around me bumping me or getting upset I’m using needles
I could see situations where you really need a sink to be able to wash your hands first, or even the part of your body where you're putting the injection (like if you're very sweaty/dirty). Or if you're wearing inconvenient clothes, like a jumpsuit/overalls or basically any kind of formal wear
It's definitely a comfort thing for some people. My grandmother had zero issues doing it literally anywhere, but otoh I used to feel shame just taking standard medicine like ibuprofen or allergy meds in public (I no longer have that issue and at this point I make it a point to do so in public to help destigmatize)
I think it's a great idea to use disabled toilets for things like injecting medicine for personal comfort as well as public comfort, coming from someone who can't stand the sight of needles/people injecting needles
@@Goosethegaydino eh, I'm less on board for the public comfort bit. Diabetics NEED to use their insulin, it's kind of stigmatizating to demand they (or anyone else) go to the bathroom (which can be significantly less sanitary if it's not cleaned properly and regularly) to manage their medical conditions because it makes able bodied people uncomfortable to see you do something (that is sanitary) that you need to do to live.
But to repeat: if the disabled person themself is more comfortable managing their stuff in private, like a bathroom, then it's absolutely the correct move to prioritize comfort.
Thank you for mentioning trans people. I’m an ambulatory wheelchair user so I use the disabled toilets but so does my trans daughter if there’s no one waiting
I am 7 months pregnant and really needed to hear this. I feel guilty using the disability stall or bathroom but the normal stalls are so tiny i have to press on my stomach to fit and close the door, and then getting back up is a nightmare without the bars!
I typically don't need to use the disabled toilets, but every once in a while I use them to calm down during a panic attack. The regular stalls feel too claustrophobic and my panic attacks are typically caused by sensory overload or social anxiety so having a mostly private space is better than being outside.
I have severe trauma from abuse and bullying- I use the disabled bathroom because I’m terrified of being mocked for making even the slightest sound. I also have autism and HATE the sound of the hand-dryers.
A couple examples I can think of is
Claustrophobia because of how small normal ones are
Some who might be having an anxiety attack (the small space can make them panic more)
A family (a mom and her daughters)
I’m pretty sure most people have anxiety so it isn’t really a good reason
@@luckybasiltea no like when someone is starting your have one and they need space to calm down because some they might feel overwhelmed
My mom has an invisible disability (2 autoimmune diseases and fibromyalgia) and she's gotten told off or gotten dirty looks SO many times for using parking spaces or toilets she didn't "need". Thank you for bringing light to this topic, you can't always SEE if someone needs certain accommodations and we need to keep this on mind when judging others as well as keep in mind those aren't for you if you don't need them!!! I love that you brought up so many different circumstances in which one could have that need because I don't think people understand the full extent of why those things exist!
I remember walking onto a bus in Montreal and despite it being full, the handicapped seat remained empty and was eventually taken up by an elderly women. It made me happy to see there are still a lot of respectful people in this world
As a non-disabled person, I have only ever used the disabled toilet if I absolutely need to (like I can’t wait and al the stalls are full).
The fainting condition is so true. If you’re in a non-disabled stall you don’t have room to sit against a wall, and if you sit on the toilet you have a serious risk of injuring yourself if you do end up fainting.
OMG SHE KNOWS WHAT A STOMA IS,EVERY TIME I TELL SOMEONE " I have a stoma" THERE ALWAYS LIKE ".......u have a what?"
Edit: this is so pathetic but 24 likes is the most I've ever got, lol
Edit:wth,65 likes,HOW
what's a stoma
@@SummerFlowyYTgoogle it
🤣😭 it's hard to explain lol
I love (sarcasm) that someone who's talking about getting so many questions about it had to get another question about it :/
@@SummerFlowyYTessentially it is a part in your abdomen/stomach area on the outside where the intestine is exposed to the outside. You cover the stoma with a bag to catch any waste product. People with diagnoses like Crohn’s disease and whatnot may get it to avoid painful passing of stool due to irritated intestinal linings or an irritated rectum, and can give them a greater freedom of life due to the fact they may not feel worried about their said diagnosis causing an issue while they’re out and about as they only need to worry about emptying/replacing the bag instead (correct me if I messed any of it up, I don’t have a stoma I just huperfixate on medical information)
We Shouldn't regulate others. But we should regulate ourselves. I absolutely agree. I have an invisible disability. Some days I need the big toilet. And some days I don't. It's not here to judge others. But we should be respectful of others. If I don't need it that day I try to use a regular toilet. Others I just wait for the big toilet.
Thank you for adding sensory issues I struggle with adhd so sometimes the loud sound or the girls at my schools vapes have a strong smell
I have urgency issues due to IBS, so it's nice to see that people like me are under the umbrella here as well. Most people dismiss it, sadly, and don't see it as debilitating as it truly is. Thank you!
I'm a parent with a disabled daughter. She doesn't use the restroom, but it is much safer for me to have the disabled stall/toliet with her since I usually have no one else with me to help. If I'm alone, I will suffer my sensory overload for a regular toliet/stall because I would rather leave the disabled area for those that need the space more.
Also, at some places the disabled toilet is also a changing station for children, or is the only place with a sanitary trash (like for used pads, etc), and sometimes its the only restroom accessible, like where i work there are two gender-neutral/disabled toilets that everyone in the building has to use
Thanks for teaching people this since some children never get taught about these things and may prevent somethings when they remember this knowledge , luv you‼️🏫🔥
I believe it is up to the individual. I have stress Incontinence. I will use whatever stall I can get into the quickest rather than wet myself. If it is not an urgent matter I can wait.
I wish invisible disabled persons were given this understanding. My mother is the survivor of two heart failures, due to a hereditary electric defect in her heart (and unfortunately that causes constant issues with the pacemaker), walking, getting up from a sitting position and other issues causes her heart rate to race and she can easily faint, so a safe toilet with room to position her and handles is necessary. But she gets harassed. My cousin has POTS and has similar issues, she gets harassed.
I'm sorry they get told off for it! I wonder if it would work to give the rude person a blank look and just say "I need the hand rails" Doesn't get into the details of their disability or arguing over invisible illnesses, just simply points out that they have a reason to use it
I prefer the term "accessible" toilet, it seems more inclusive.
Same.
I've had someone get angry at me for "skipping the queue" to use the disabled toilet.
Seriously the kwik trip bathrooms (I’m in Wisconsin) are a GOD SEND! Each of them feel very private and have a lot of space.
My old school used to have the kindergarten toilet in the disabled stall. That thing was absolutely tiny!
I definitely ran into the disabled toilet once or twice as a teen for a panic attacks and once to hide from some guy who I think was following me. They're a pretty universally available public safe space.
Obviously if you don't need it, don't use it, but if you're in an emergency situation and don't know where you can turn, they're awesome. Like, you're at a club and there's a guy with crazy eyes who won't leave you alone? You can lock yourself in one to call for help, and there might even be a button or string to connect you straight to emergency services.
I get sensory overloaded, anxiety and an immune disorder where I can get light headed and have fainted on occasion but not often. Hearing you say this made me feel a lot more comfortable as I have always felt bad for using it as I always feel like someone else deserves it more than me
Additionally, baby changing stations are often in the disabled toilet stall (for whatever reason).
It’s because there’s more room in those toilets, they can be folded out of the way, and if they’re outside the toilet, it offers less privacy to a mother who may want it and can impact walking space when used/prevent another regular toilet from being installed. My only issue is that they’re usually only in the women’s bathroom and this is the case for my store too, so I’m forced to let men with babies into that bathroom.
I’m tall and obese. Regular stalls are sometimes uncomfortably narrow and the toilet roll holders are often too low or otherwise inconveniently placed. Sometimes I do use the handicap stall
A few weeks ago I got my period and every other toilet was occupied so I used the disabled one, when I came out there was a wheelchair user waiting to use it. I felt so bad even though she assured me it was ok for me to used it since it was an emergency 😅
It's such a relief to hear urgency issues as an acceptable reason tbh. It's definitely an invisible problem for me but it'll become a very visible problem if I don't get to a toilet soon enough. I've been through that and it's mortifying.
Just something that crossed my mind, someone who has claustrophobia might use the disabled toilet because of their fear.
Also some places only have one toilet and thats then a toilet that includes all features a disabled person might need.
Some grocery stores in Germany are like that. These toilets then are also sometimes not even marked and you have to know that its there...
The men’s room at my store is like that
I got screamed at a couple of weeks ago for being in the disabled toilet in a university. After she was done, I explained... Im water maintenance and I'm checking a leak. Both true. The kicker? I need the use of the handrail to be able stand up again if i was to use the bathroom.
Its a shame that some people can't feel comfortable using the amenities that are put there for their well-being just because some people want to be judgemental, or on the other side, because someone decided it's more convenient for them when they don't need it.
I love how the start of the conversation was Anybody can use the disabled toliot 😂
I can't tell you how heart-warming it was as an ND person to hear you speak about people who are easily overwhelmed due to their Autism/ADHD. Constricting spaces combine with the loudness of regular toilets are a nightmare for me and it makes even using a restroom a lot harder than it needs to be so using disabled toilet is a much better option. Also, I fully support trans people ising disabled toilets for their own safety too and it's so nice to hear someone talk about it as well. You're such a ray of sunshine on my fyp, thank you for spreading awareness of invisible disabilities ❤
My college has stalls that I can’t physically fit in (wide shoulders, can’t clean up due to no movement space) I feel so bad every time I use a big stall but oh well :/
I have got autism and often use the disabled toilet because it is really loud
Very glad that the sensory detail is still in there because I often can not handle the regular size stall especially in new spaces
Thank you sooo much for adding sensory overwhelm!!! I have autism and going to public toilets can be very overstimulating and uncomfortable for various reasons. I appreciate this addition very much!
I really appreciate videos like this because with IBD I use the stalls with the least traffic since I'm much more vulnerable to diseases like C-Diff and have urgency issues. I try to avoid the disabled toilet when I can since I don't need it as much as someone else, but sometimes I just need to use the restroom or there isn't a gender neutral bathroom available. (Both tend to get less traffic so are generally safer, but not a guarantee.) It's amazing that you're bringing light to thing's like this and it's nice having this kind of positive reassurance and education.
I really appreciate you mentioning Sensory issues in this.. I've been wondering for ages if I can use it for this reason and mostly just don't and then get overwhelmed in the standard toilet 😅
I will also always advocate for service dog trainers to be able to use the disabled toilet. It’s incredibly hard (especially with big puppies) to keep them in line in the smaller stalls and the small stalls can cause injury
I have to use it when I have pushchair because for some reason they don’t put a toilet in the baby changing area 😂 so I have no choice but to take up the disabled toilet
People with a service dog may need to use the accessible stall depending on the size of the dog
Even if the dog is small its still safer then using a public stall and completely valid
I use the handicap stall only if the others are full. I have also used it when the other is so ridiculously small that only an acrobat is capable of using it.
Thank you for mentioning those who have urgency issues.
Please note: If you do use a disabled toilet as a non-disabled person, do _NOT_ dick around on your phone. As a disabled trans man, it was _very_ uncomfortable having to use the women's restroom because some _asshole_ chose to watch RUclips on his fucking phone in the _only closed stall of the bathroom._
I see mothers/guardians accompanying a young child into the disabled stall all the time
Or the child accompanying them, because otherwise they have to leave the kids outside of the stall alone.
In the US most disabled toilets/stalls are also family ones.
@@junebunny0712 That's true, but at my workplace there's a great big family/disabled bathroom on its own, then in the communal bathroom there's still disabled stalls, so I forgot about the designated family bathroom
In the US at least, the disabled stall is usually where the changing table for babies is. A lot of bathrooms are also labelled for both disabled use and family use. Also with a small potty trained toddler, i need the space to assist my toddler using the toilet. Im pregnant with twins now too and with this pregnancy have been struggling with low blood pressure and fainting, which is somwthing i did not experience with my first pregnancy that was a singleton.
Be considerate fellas, only use if needed
People with menstruation too...if there is no possibility for change in standart toilet
Wait.. Are there not trash cans in most bathrooms?
So any woman in a woman’s bathroom. Then there is no such thing as a disabled toilet.
@elliot4152 sometimes you need the extra space if you use insertable menstrual products, some stalls are so small you can't maneuver to take those out/put them in
When no one is around I use it. It’s always cleaner and more spacious.
But it goes without saying that if someone is waiting to use it then I’ll go to the normal one. Simple
Also conditions like pots can make it hard to stand up due to getting dizzy/vertigo so the bars help a lot
I use it if no one else is in there, is never take away from someone who needs it more, but the anxiety i get from small stalls and how easy it is for someone to literally watch you (it's happened to me a lot), makes it difficult, I'd rather use the big one.
Is it okay for a non disabled person to use the toilet for disabled if they are having a genuine emergency?
they literally said "if they are having a toilet emergency". pay attention to the video next time smh
It doesn't have to be an EMERGENCY. If it's the only one available, I'm using it. Period.
As someone with severe ibs ive had to make a dash for the disabled toilet a few times if others arent available and i was literally torn down by a woman in a wheelchair as i was leaving it once, i did just reply to her that not all illnesses and disabilities are visible and told her to mind her own business x
basically, the determination is up to the user, not the audience. you make the decision when you go into the stall, you never visually judge anyone coming out of it
Thank you for mentioning people with sensory issues and the like. I am autistic, and when I was in high school, the bathroom was the only place I could go to have a meltdown/panic attack. Now, it has become a bit of a safe space for me. I try not to use it too often, but if it's unlikely anyone else will come into the bathroom anyways, I may use it. I'm glad you mentioned this as a possible reason someone may need that space.
I have various mild disabilities, which usually don't stop me using general toilets. However when some of my conditions are acting up, i have had to use the disabled toilets. And i always feel judged for it because i look fine.
As a teen who takes a med for epilepsy but still has them mid day I tend to use the disabled toilet for just incase I have one in the bathroom
I have this weird thing where I faint/get dizzy when standing up, so thank you for mentioning that. I need it so I don't whack my head on a toilet wall and get a concussion. Thanks so much for making everyone feel validated 💗
I don't know why you mentioning diabetic and trans people made me tear up immediately, as a type 1 diabetic who's only been diagnosed for 1 year, and also a trans man, it's such a difficult time navigating public bathrooms, it's so nice to hear that yes, it's okay that sometimes I use the disabled bathroom to inject insulin or to simply use it on a bad anxiety day that I'll get yelled at in the women's or possibly attacked in the men's. Thank you so much for mentioning that, it's made my evening
Honestly I think ALL toilet stalls should be made much bigger so this isn’t a problem, stalls are just so small and uncomfortable for everyone, and that needs to change
Another one to consider is recent injury or surgery! I dislocated my knee this past year and I had to use the accessible stall at first because I needed the hand rails, then mostly because I needed a bit of extra space in front because I couldn't bend my leg easily, and also I had crutches that were hard to fit in there with me otherwise
Thank you! Also since becoming a mum I've needed to use it when out with the kids by myself as I don't want to leave them out of sight and they can't always fit into the stall. Especially when you have a baby in a pram, you have to bring them with you and the disabled toilet is often the only option.
I have an invisible disability and I get bullied because I am also overweight. So I have this disability that nobody sees, and people at my school think I made it up so I wouldn’t have to walk up the stairs. I hate my body sometimes but I know what my issues are and it’s nobody else’s business, but it is difficult sometimes to deal with it. Your content makes me feel better
I distinctly remember in Elementary School that there was a bathroom at the school I went to that had 2 stalls (one normal and one for disabled people) I would always use the disabled one, not because I needed to, but because I liked the space and it had better lighting. Well, one time when I was using the bigger stall, a girl who had crutches came into the bathroom, and since I was in the big stall, she had to use the smaller stall. She made it work, but I felt so bad that I never used the bag stall again unless the other one was occupied.
I love that you advocate for invisible disabilities. I am visually impaired but don’t need to use a mobility cane all the time when my sight is strong enough or the area I’m in is not crowded and when I use it people often say but you can see , or sometimes I get stop faking it on my bad days and people just don’t understand why I can’t see normal distances
I have an invisible disability, and a service dog. If I have him with me, I need the disabled stall so that he’s able to fit in there with me (he’s a 75lb labradoodle) but if I don’t have him or am not using my chair, I always use the standard stalls. They’re disability accessible, not disability required ❤️
I have autism and I have to use it because I have extremely sensitive hearing and can't find it comfortable i have many phobias and one of them is claustrophobia and I have a lot of brake downs and one of the results for them is from crowding and lot of noise i can use the normal toilet but it is just very unlikely that i will find it comfortable great vid good content keep it going ❤️
As someone who os easily overstimulated and overwhelmed in public bathrooms, and has fainting spells from several head injuries, it makes me so happy to see this, it helps me feel validated. I'm continually told I shouldn't use the disabled bathroom,but I've passed out in a public bathroom before.
TW.
I was s**ually assaulted there.
I've always been criticized for using the disabled toilet. Tho I can walk I need a cane to get around. Ppl assume because I'm young I'm capable, but thats far from the truth. I need the bars in the disabled toilet to get back up. I cannot stand up from a normal toilet if there isn't anything to grab onto. I've been called lazy, and over weight all my life. But my disabilities go beyond that. Tho I can walk, I have very little feelings left in my lower extremists. I can't always tell if I'm stepping correctly or not. They also don't always work the way they are supposed to and I end up falling almost daily. Most ppl assume as a 24 year old none of these things could be happening to me
I'm glad you mentioned invisible disabilities. Pubs in the UK often put the normal toilet up a load of stairs that I often can't manage. I don't however "look disabled", so I often get abuse for using the disabled toilet that I have a Radar key for. Weirdly enough it's often from disabled people. I understand it must be frustrating to wait and they might have urgency issues however I only ever use it if I can't get to the normal toilet for want of a better word. I don't use a wheelchair so I don't need the extra space but I do need to actually be able to get to the toilet and lots of stairs often make that impossible for me.
It seems really silly to have to wait to use a stall because all the others are full. Especially in bathrooms where there are only two or three
I appreciate that you included things like trans people and people who have sensory issues, most people don’t consider things like that. Another case that I don’t believe was mentioned is a person who is having a panic or anxiety attack, and quickly need to find a quiet, private space to calm down.
The fact of the matter is, all toilets should accommodate disabled people. There shouldn't be a disabled toilet cuz all toilets should be universally accessable to different people. But alas we don't live in such world.
The best way to think about it is, for me, I can use any stall, but if someone using a wheelchair comes in to use the toilet, they can ONLY use that one stall. Easy switch for me, meaningful difference for them!
The disabled toilets are also large enough for potential paramedics. My blood sugar can drop randomly and violently, and while thank god I've only ever fainted once in public, using that stall meant the paramedics who helped me didn't have to worry about hitting me with the door when it was kicked open.
I only use it if im at a place wirh multiple ones. I get claustrophobic in the reg stalls. They are way to small! Thank you for explaining in a polite way.
i have POTS and the hand rail is very convenient . i also hate the small space in the stalls of normal toilets
I have back issues and tend to find the toilets higher hence easier to sit/squat 😅