Inequalities and disparities between men and women, able-bodied and disabled people, young and old people do not only occur at work or in the public sphere as portrayed in the media. They also occur in the privacy of each individual's home: in the toilet. What if our little corners were indicative of our disparities in France? Let's take a closer look at public toilets, which reveal how our living conditions have changed throughout society. If we consider public space to be a set of spaces open to all without restriction, why do we talk about inequalities and disparities?

‘As the West equipped private homes with toilets, public spaces were stripped of them.’[1]

Underserved areas

That's where it all starts: with the number of public toilets in France. There are around 14,000, or one toilet for every 4,700 inhabitants. Not a huge number, is it? So when you consider that Paris is one of the cities with the highest number of public toilets, with one toilet for every 7,500 inhabitants, and that these are used by 15 million users per year, you wonder where the others are... Clearly not in three-quarters of France's 35,000 municipalities, which do not offer any toilets at all. To grasp the extent of the inequality, here are some figures that are worth considering: in Rennes, there is one toilet for every 2,300 inhabitants, while in Marseille, there is less than one for every 23,000 people. It is easy to understand why 66% of French people consider access to public toilets to be ‘difficult’ [2] .

Gender disparities

It's no myth: men and women are not equal when it comes to their urge to go to the loo. And even if the number of toilets seems more or less equal, or at least we have unisex toilets, it's mainly the time spent in them that is not equal.

In fact, women spend on average 2.3 times more time in the toilet than men. And contrary to popular belief, it's not because they chat to each other. No. It's simply that going to the toilet is not the same for a man as it is for a woman, who has to sit down, remove her trousers and sometimes change her sanitary protection.

The sometimes endless queues to access the ladies' toilets, the questionable hygiene of the toilets, or even their non-existence, lead many people to hold back, avoid drinking enough fluids or eating enough for fear of being caught off guard. Many women delay changing their sanitary protection for as long as possible (which can cause toxic shock syndrome). In short, as you can see, this is no longer just a simple toilet problem. It is a public health issue.

Public toilets for increasingly mobile professionals

At a time when it is clear that our society, our lifestyle, and even our jobs are leading us to be increasingly mobile, we can no longer be satisfied with the number of public toilets created in the 1990s. There are inequalities between those who work in a fixed office and those who have mobile jobs. While regulations governing toilets in the workplace are generally well respected, bus drivers, taxi drivers, postmen, delivery drivers, private hire drivers, fairground workers and many others are just as likely to be unable to access private toilets. If they need to relieve themselves (remember that it is advisable to go to the toilet every three hours), they have no way of doing so.

Public toilets, dignity and public space

Homeless people are invisible in our society. So invisible that we forget their most basic needs, including the need to use the toilet. And yet this is a fundamental right. Without public toilets, they have no choice but to relieve themselves outdoors, hiding and feeling ashamed. Talking about hygiene is not just a matter of public health. It is also about well-being, cleanliness and inclusion in society. It is a fundamental need for regaining self-confidence and not feeling excluded. Public toilets have been criticised and removed in the name of health and morality, even though they meet a natural need that is ignored or mocked. These facilities must be free, clean and safe, so that the most basic needs can be met with dignity.

A question of money? Yes, but...

So no, installing toilets is not free. And money talks, as we all know. Except that a study conducted by McKinsey for the NGO WaterAid shows that, on an international scale, ‘a dollar invested yields five’ because "it is true that investing in this area means lower expenditure, lower healthcare and hospitalisation costs, fewer days off work, higher productivity gains, etc. A 2008 study shows that adequate sanitation for all would cost £95 billion but would save £660 billion. So there is nothing more rational than investing in toilets! One dollar invested yields five. However, the battle will only be won if we limit water and energy waste.

BubblesMapper, peaceful and sustainable mobility

At present, access to public toilets is not the same for everyone. And yet, from workers to the homeless, from young girls to older women, from parents who need to change their children's nappies to pregnant women who cannot walk miles to get to a toilet, from joggers to people with disabilities, the ‘little room’ remains a big deal for everyone. It is up to each of us to talk about the subject without shame or taboo. To bring it into the light rather than shrouding it in darkness. This is one of the missions of BubblesMapper, a mutual aid community that provides access to public and private partners' facilities.