Clean, organized and hygienic where one enters to relieve oneself in peace without fear of disease and filth, any kind of violence, with privacy and peace is what a toilet should be. Why public toilets especially may not be free of distubance and are more a battlefield than harmonious places of calm and refreshing is what’s puzzling. Just go and do your business sounds fair, I don’t know about what business. Toilets can be easy to use wrongly and they are. Person on the seat is an easy target. Movies show this as does real life. To be raped or killed in a toilet where there are no cameras is at the heart of the fear in letting anyone wearing a dress enter female spaces. Man usually is the threat. Some don’t find it, some do. Threats for women and children are numerous. Now this basic need is made a political weapon and a feminist issue in a new way: who can use toilets for women? Women’s toilets can be cleaner and calmer or not. In a world where safe access to toilets is not self-evident, I have found this conversation ludacrous forcing all accept needs of a loud minority. Yes, it is true, transpeople need acceptance and protection, I don’t want it to happen at the cost of groups who also need protection and safe spaces.

We are disturbers of peace, humans. That is the task of an artist also which many dislike. Calming impact of art has an important place in the world. Toilet is a place for art as well. Human excrement is a worthy topic, also piss, vomit, periods, behaviour in general in toilets is a world in itself worth many movies. It is a special place in human life. We have moved far from ancient times of dealing with human waste in most places on Earth. How excrement moves in different countries is solved in different ways. We prefer not to look at the result made or talk about it, smell it is disgusting. Women especially need not to smell bad. Anything what happens in a restroom and bathroom stays there, is the rule, privately. Shaving and any grooming of body is seen disgusting and too personal.

To fulfill requirements for a toilet and have access is around the world a big problem. To solve where man, child and a woman can go when in need, to sit on the can in a world where waste and feces are flowing like rivers to the oceans. A bigger problem where to put it. To pee standing up may be passé, in women’s toilets bidé is surely a must but urinal no? Why would women need urinals?

Public toilets are used as havens to do all kinds of things, to sleep in, use drugs, have sex, talk, think and hide in addition to the original purpose. Toilets as basic necessities are interesting in many ways and a necessary part of a city.

Japanese movie Perfect days tells a story of a toilet cleaner, of a man who enjoys simple life and takes his job seriously. It is of course a lowly position, cleaning other people’s messes which are many and the amount of filth endless. Cleanliness and infinity may have something to do with each other. It is a never-ending task. A clean functioning safe toilet is a blessing. Toilets don’t have to be white, but white has special meaning for us. I am impressed by Japanese design of toilets, who isn’t. Weird, but cool. Cleanliness is godliness and available toilet that works is too. To have additional features is wild. The consideration for how one feels when doing one’s business there is in Japanese design of toilets. The least amount of shame and uncomfort experienced makes a better life? Many people are ashamed of bodily functions which adds many layers to going to toilet.

Thinking about altars, a quiet dimly lit place where there is no disturbance visual or other sensory ovetload, how the place smells is especially important. Going to a toilet is not an easy journey. All the things that can happen and things that don’t happen when needed rule the world. We are slaves to our gut and bladder, women probably even more, to menstrual cycle and needs of babies. Flows and pains can be severe and they are unavoidable. Sanitary pads could be placed in women’s toilets without trans battle placing them in men’s toilets. Free sanitary pads and tampons, not to speak of moon cups, is a real conversation that women and girls around the world need and safe toilets. The horror of mentrual huts hopefully will be history. Shame and the curse around female bleeding sticks around. Knowing how painful, bloody and disturbing menstruation is, empathy is more needed there and wash your hands please. Why people take toilet selfies, I don’t know. Is it fun and the lighting is ideal?