You gotta go when you gotta go. But is it socially acceptable to use a designated disabled (more commonly referred to as “handicap(ped),” but this term is rejected by members of the disability rights movement…explanation to follow in future post) bathroom if you’re not disabled?
Have you ever emerged from a disabled stall to find a visibly disabled person looking at you questioningly?
Who may use it? When?
I have, and I can report that it was quite awkward. I was in a long line for the ladies’ room during a show intermission and observed that everyone — visibly disabled, invisibly disabled, or nondisabled — was using the stall designated for disabled people. When it was my turn to tinkle, this was the open stall. I did a scan of the room to see if anyone seemed to be waiting for this stall, and coming up negative, hesitantly proceeded to use the restroom. When I left the stall, a woman using a wheelchair was waiting right outside and seemed a bit perturbed by my emergence. She didn’t say anything to me, but her facial expression gave off a “what the F is this [seemingly] ablebodied girl doing in this stall?” kind of attitude.
When I’m using my wheelchair, there is no viable option other than the disabled stall. When I’m on my feet, I wait for one of the other stalls unless it’s a crowded place where everyone seems to be using the disabled stall (a la awkward situation above), my foot is aching, or I…just can’t wait. (It happens).
What are the unwritten rules about using disabled bathrooms? Should there be written rules?
Apparently, one of my favorite comedians has pondered these questions:
subtalarsuperhero 