Monday, May 5, 2014

Relieve Yourself of the Bathroom Shame

Okay, so...I know I haven't posted in a while and this is a heck of a subject to come back on, but...

Why are so many ladies hesitant to use the bathroom at work?

In an effort to maintain at least some modicum of decorum I'll keep it classy, but just know when I say 'using the bathroom' (hereafter referred to as UTB), I'm not talking about peeing. I'm talking about the other thing you do in there.

I've been working in offices for years now and I've noticed that some women go out of their way to cover up the fact that they've had to UTB at work. And I admit it's not the most pleasant thing to be associated with, but really. What's the big deal? It's something everybody does...it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. Heck, if you're not doing it, you might want to get yourself checked out. But women will go to an entirely different floor to use the bathroom, or stay in their stall forever waiting for the bathroom to empty before they come out, so no one will know they're the ones that emptied their bowels and left that bodily scent in the air. Or even more ridiculous, they wait until they get home. And I admit, I've been guilty of all of these. But now, I really don't care. It's amazing the freedom that comes with that.

This freedom was a long time coming. Back in the day, I remember when I was in elementary or middle school, and I had to UTB at school one time. I tried to hurry up and get out of there before anybody else came in, but I wasn't quick enough. Someone else came in (and I won't name names, even though I remember exactly who it was due to the mild trauma it caused) and called me out in front of a few other people. I was extremely embarrassed. I think that's where my complex/phobia about UTB in public started.

But now I'm an adult and I don't have time to be ducking and dodging whenever I have to UTB. I have next to no bathroom shame. I go in there, do my business, and get out. If someone wants to talk about me because of that, so be it. It is what it is. I recall one time a couple of years ago when I was about to walk into the bathroom and a co-worker was coming out, and warned me that I might not want to go in there 'cause someone just blew it up (which is what some people call it when you UTB). I didn't have much of a response. I don't like smelling the effects of that any more than anybody else, but...isn't that what you're supposed to do in the bathroom? Isn't that what bathrooms are for? I know how to hold my breath if I need to.

Why do we, as grown women, have to be embarrassed about something that's natural? And why do we have to try to make people ashamed of it or ridicule them for it? I mean, for real...let's grow up. It's the bathroom, not the kitchen or a lounge. You don't go in there to eat or hang out or anything else. You go in there to relieve yourself of fluids and waste. None of that is going to smell like potpourri. Get over it.


Until next time, people...