Bathroom trespassing

Sometimes when you've got to go you really have got to go.

"It was an emergency" said Jonathan Wright, a 20-year-old Norwich sophomore. "The men's bathroom was closed. So I had a friend stand outside the door to keep women out so he could use it."

Sometimes using the opposite gender's bathroom is an absolute necessity, though there are those who are abhorrent to the idea entirely.

Kristine Brammer, a 19-year-old sophomore from Littleton, N.H., double majoring in English and education, said, "I'm pretty sure I'm the type that actually waits for the cleaner- type bathroom."

Some people scowl at the very idea of using the other gender's bathroom.

Dana Cochrane, a 20-year-old sophomore from Boxford, Mass. majoring in political science, said that even if the girl's bathroom was full, "I wouldn't want to go into the men's bathroom because it's probably gross."

Another reason to not use the opposite gender's restroom is just fear that someone might catch you.

Brammer stated, "I have this big phobia that if I use the (men's) bathroom a guy is going to walk in, and would much rather avoid that."

Jonathan Currier, 20-year-old sophomore majoring in criminal justice from Greenfield, N.H., said, "There really isn't a reason (to use the women's bathroom), there's either a men's bathroom or a tree close enough."

However, Currier later states that it is no big deal and "if … no one was around I probably would (use a women's bathroom)."

Some students have no issue with using the other bathroom, but have wound up in the opposite gender's bathroom accidently.

Wright, a nursing major from Middlebury, Vt., shared this story. "I live on third floor in South Hall and the third floor is the only floor where the men's bathroom is on the right and the female's bathroom is on the left. So I went up to fifth floor and walked into, by habit, the right side."

He explained, "I didn't look at the sign, came out after using said bathroom and my friend asked me why I had used the girl's bathroom. I looked at (the sign) and realized that they were flipped. It was by mistake completely, but I've actually done it twice."

In a similar situation, Sarah DeBouter, a 19-year-old sophomore from Middlebury, Vt., majoring in English, said, "I got off on the third floor (of South Hall) thinking it was the fourth and it turns out where the girls' bathroom is on the fourth floor is where the boys' bathroom is on the third floor."

She went on to say, "I went to the bathroom and just thought that some of the girls got really nasty. I then went into what I thought was my room, walked in and completely freaked out at first."

DeBouter explained, "I thought everything was changed and then I realized it wasn't my room, realized I went to the boys' bathroom. Luckily no one was in the room or the bathroom."

There are also some students who have absolutely no problem with using the other bathroom.

Calliope, a sophomore who requested anonymity, shared, "Yes, I used a male bathroom, to brush my teeth when I was spending the night at my boyfriend's one night."

 "It was a one-time thing" she explained, "so now I just hike the stairs to use the female (bathroom)."

Ciara Plymale, a 17-year-old freshman double majoring in psychology and political science from Great Falls, Mont., said, "I have never used a men's bathroom, but I've seen girls do it."

"I watched one of the girls," she recalled, "shower in the men's bathroom and (the men) had (the bathroom) completely closed off for her. There either was no women's bathroom on that floor or it was full, I don't remember."

Margaret Manning, a 21-year-old junior double majoring in mathematics and education from Colchester, Vt., stated that she has been forced to use the men's restroom.

"The women's bathroom (was being remodeled) at a rest stop," Manning said. "I wouldn't if the bathroom looked filthy, but if it's your only option, you do what you have to."

Kaitlin Saunders, a 19-year-old freshman majoring in studies of war and peace from Canton, Ohio, has never used the opposite gender's bathroom, but is not opposed to the idea.

"If I had to use the bathroom it would matter what the sign said," she stated. "Many bathrooms are made to be uni-sex, to be accessible to both genders."

When it comes down to it, it appears that if a person was desperate enough for a bathroom and could not get into one specific for their gender, they would in fact use the opposite gender's restroom.

Said Plymale, "I don't think its gross (to use the men's bathroom) because it is just a bathroom."

She added, "However, I do think that if there is a women's bathroom available then you should just use that, because it's just more convenient."

Wright said that "bathrooms aren't really that big of a deal. They have stalls and are pretty much the same."