Unisex bathrooms

I finally have the chance to live one of those experiences many of us only dream about—unisex restrooms. My office has one. The head partner at my firm is a man, and I think he has a stigma against using the restroom when other people are around. I could understand that, since there are only two other men in the office, and about ten women. All of the awkwardness I imagined comes with sharing a bathroom with ALL of your colleagues was real. I never knew what to say, we would always smile and say hello, and then lock ourselves away for a bit of privacy. You never know who you may run into. My biggest fear certainly was that I would run into the head partner. He is a tall man, quite distinguished, and he knows he makes an imposing figure.

Well, during my second week on the job, it happened. He and the other head partner, a longtime friend, were in the restroom preparing to go out for lunch. I walked in, but by the time I realized who was there it was too late. “Hello PEJ!” I tried to muster cheerily. He smiled at me in that distinguished way, and tried to strike up a conversation! “Oh please no,” I was thinking. “Not here.”

“What do you think the chances are of having an Asian president one day?”

I started my answer succinctly, one sentence. Maybe two. Not any time soon. Not very many Asians gravitate toward a public life. But it was in the bathroom, and I wanted to leave.

So there it is, folks. Unisex bathrooms.