Toilets, Urinals and Restrooms

Be aware that there can be violence against people who present in a masculine way in women’s restrooms. See Safety.

Stand really close to the toilet. A pee funnel does not have the projection a cis male would have. Minimize dribble!

If you want to aim or direct your flow, move your hips, not the pee funnel. It isn’t attached to your body! If you break the seal, you will be sad.

It will be quieter if you aim for the bowl, not the water.

You do get less splashback if you tilt your hips to angle the flow. Put a little English on it.

Do not become that which you despise. Clean up any mess you make!

Put the seat down.

If you are in a women’s restroom with multiple stalls, be prepared for weird looks. I’d love it if it were totally normal to use a device in women’s bathrooms, but it isn’t. You can diffuse a lot of tension with a joke or a smile.

If you want to wash your device in the sink, be cheerful and confident. It’s no big deal.

BONUS TIP: If there are yucky specks or stains on the toilet, see if you can blast them off with your stream. Public service.

For a more detailed look at the sociology of men’s restrooms, see George’s interview for the blog. Check out the Resources page for more sources for trans men. See Safety as well.

Again, stand close to minimize dribble, whether at a toilet or urinal.

Many people who are used to sitting to pee will tilt their hips back when using a pee funnel, which isn’t optimal for urinals. You might want to practice keeping your hips straight or even tipped forward.

You might shake your STP over a urinal if you want, but obviously don’t do the flick in a shared space. Have your case ready to go.

Want to practice before hitting a public bathroom? In the US, a wall-mounted adult urinal is 24 inches from floor to rim. (Kids is 15-20 inches. ADA compliant is 17 inches.) Put a medium-sized bowl on a surface at that height to practice.

Everyone knows not take the urinal next to somebody. BUT ALSO try to take one such that the next guy who comes in doesn’t have to be next to somebody either.

Don’t look at other guys. If you’re trying to figure out if someone is in a stall, push the door, don’t look under. Or knock.

I asked my husband why you might talk in the men’s restroom. He said, “Terrorists have taken over this bathroom and we need to fortify it.” Don’t talk.

Keep in mind that the other guys are also (probably) trying not to notice or interact with YOU. Be confident, get in, do your thing, get out.