If there is a place where there is difference between men and women, it is the toilet queue. The women are always much longer. This is due, inter alia, to the fact that the pissors inside the men make it possible to hold a higher cadence than on the more space-consuming common toilets that women must adhere to. But now it will end the discrimination, the Government of Berlin believes. It is unfair if only men must urinate standing, and not women. Therefore, the local authorities in the city state have made a 97-page report on hygiene, disability and safety at the little house around. There are currently 234 of the kind in the German capital. However, the section on equality between men and women most closely resembles the German tabloid newspaper Berliner Kurier. “It’s unfair if only men must urinate standing, not women,” the report says. And it has now been decided that the city’s new toilets must be gender neutral and give both men and women free choice between standing or sitting. Equalization requires partitions Here, however, the problems arise for the local government, consisting of a coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), the Green Party and the outward left wing Die Linke.  For a start, a whole new kind of urinal is required, because the traditional installations are designed for men. They are too high for women to use them. In addition, partitions must be placed at the urinals. There are only a few of the restrooms available today. According to the report, the new ‘toilet concept’ can total up to 130 million Euro.

The government is aiming to take the money from a pool that would primarily be used to promote business in the capital. But it meets sharp criticism from the opposition. The money should rather “go to businesses and public investment,” says Christian Graff, Senate and Building Political Spokesman for the Conservative Party CDU. The opposition rather preferred the continuation of the current regime. The future of the toilets in Berlin must, in any event, be offered, the government maintains. Who will take over the chance is not clear at the moment. But that will suffice. Every 4th toilet does not work. In addition, the stock has to be expanded, so there will be 366 places in the German capital where local and tourists can sit or stand for a moment. The visit will cost 50 cents, ie today. barely 4 kr.