PARITY, PERCEPTIONS, AND THE RESTROOM | Michael Barbera | TEDxEvansStreet

I want you to imagine that you’re at a

I want you to imagine that you’re at a concert your waiting line for the

concert your waiting line for the

concert your waiting line for the restroom and your favorite artist is

restroom and your favorite artist is

restroom and your favorite artist is about to perform the line is long and

about to perform the line is long and

about to perform the line is long and moving slowly and you’re anxious to get

moving slowly and you’re anxious to get

moving slowly and you’re anxious to get back to your seat then your notice the

back to your seat then your notice the

back to your seat then your notice the restroom for the opposite gender doesn’t

restroom for the opposite gender doesn’t

restroom for the opposite gender doesn’t have a line how likely are you to use

have a line how likely are you to use

have a line how likely are you to use the opposite genders restroom I see

the opposite genders restroom I see

the opposite genders restroom I see there are some females that are nodding

there are some females that are nodding

there are some females that are nodding yes and that is accurate many females

yes and that is accurate many females

yes and that is accurate many females are likely to use the male restroom but

are likely to use the male restroom but

are likely to use the male restroom but are less comfortable doing so

are less comfortable doing so

are less comfortable doing so then there were the males well we were a

then there were the males well we were a

then there were the males well we were a lot less audacious we were unlikely to

lot less audacious we were unlikely to

lot less audacious we were unlikely to explore the female restroom so I posed

explore the female restroom so I posed

explore the female restroom so I posed two questions is it possible that our

two questions is it possible that our

two questions is it possible that our restroom experience begins outside the

restroom experience begins outside the

restroom experience begins outside the restroom door and how likely is it that

restroom door and how likely is it that

restroom door and how likely is it that signage affects our perceptions and

signage affects our perceptions and

signage affects our perceptions and decisions of restrooms I’ll share a

decisions of restrooms I’ll share a

decisions of restrooms I’ll share a personal story I was at a college campus

personal story I was at a college campus

personal story I was at a college campus and like most of us I had to use the

and like most of us I had to use the

and like most of us I had to use the bathroom at the part of the lab and I

bathroom at the part of the lab and I

bathroom at the part of the lab and I walk down this long hallway towards the

walk down this long hallway towards the

walk down this long hallway towards the restrooms as I walk down this long

restrooms as I walk down this long

restrooms as I walk down this long hallway I passed

hallway I passed

hallway I passed the female restroom I walk down the

the female restroom I walk down the

the female restroom I walk down the hallway a little further and I

hallway a little further and I

hallway a little further and I approached the male restroom I wanted to

approached the male restroom I wanted to

approached the male restroom I wanted to open the door I paused I look back at

open the door I paused I look back at

open the door I paused I look back at the female restroom hmm I was baffled

the female restroom hmm I was baffled

the female restroom hmm I was baffled confused and I didn’t know how to feel

confused and I didn’t know how to feel

confused and I didn’t know how to feel about the situation I wasn’t sure if I

about the situation I wasn’t sure if I

about the situation I wasn’t sure if I was part of a social experiment but I

was part of a social experiment but I

was part of a social experiment but I went along with it and I wasn’t willing

went along with it and I wasn’t willing

went along with it and I wasn’t willing to do the potty dance because of a sign

to do the potty dance because of a sign

to do the potty dance because of a sign although in that moment I did fear that

although in that moment I did fear that

although in that moment I did fear that the signage we use on restroom doors may

the signage we use on restroom doors may

the signage we use on restroom doors may be doing more harm than good as I became

be doing more harm than good as I became

be doing more harm than good as I became increasingly curious about restroom

increasingly curious about restroom

increasingly curious about restroom signage and how we perceive messages and

signage and how we perceive messages and

signage and how we perceive messages and went on an impromptu journey of public

went on an impromptu journey of public

went on an impromptu journey of public restrooms for several months I sought

restrooms for several months I sought

restrooms for several months I sought public restrooms everywhere I went I may

public restrooms everywhere I went I may

public restrooms everywhere I went I may not have had to use the restroom but I

not have had to use the restroom but I

not have had to use the restroom but I would take a photo of the sign yes I

would take a photo of the sign yes I

would take a photo of the sign yes I admit I was the creepy guy who take his

admit I was the creepy guy who take his

admit I was the creepy guy who take his phone out of his pocket and snap a photo

phone out of his pocket and snap a photo

phone out of his pocket and snap a photo of the bathroom sign following this

of the bathroom sign following this

of the bathroom sign following this journey of potty

journey of potty

journey of potty rafi I ponder the difference between

rafi I ponder the difference between

rafi I ponder the difference between experiential and utilitarian behavior

experiential and utilitarian behavior

experiential and utilitarian behavior when using shared restrooms are we

when using shared restrooms are we

when using shared restrooms are we really likely to do the potty dance

really likely to do the potty dance

really likely to do the potty dance because of a sign let’s find out the

because of a sign let’s find out the

because of a sign let’s find out the first study we conducted was the test

first study we conducted was the test

first study we conducted was the test comfort levels of individuals in similar

comfort levels of individuals in similar

comfort levels of individuals in similar situations and what we found was when

situations and what we found was when

situations and what we found was when the male restroom was shared and the

the male restroom was shared and the

the male restroom was shared and the female female restroom was gender

female female restroom was gender

female female restroom was gender specific comfort levels were high then

specific comfort levels were high then

specific comfort levels were high then we reverse the situation when the female

we reverse the situation when the female

we reverse the situation when the female restroom was shared and the male rescue

restroom was shared and the male rescue

restroom was shared and the male rescue emerged under specific comfort levels

emerged under specific comfort levels

emerged under specific comfort levels significantly decreased but what was

significantly decreased but what was

significantly decreased but what was extremely fascinating was that not only

extremely fascinating was that not only

extremely fascinating was that not only where the females not comfortable

where the females not comfortable

where the females not comfortable neither were the males we learned that

neither were the males we learned that

neither were the males we learned that the majority of males were not

the majority of males were not

the majority of males were not comfortable with females sharing their

comfortable with females sharing their

comfortable with females sharing their restroom so what makes one gender more

restroom so what makes one gender more

restroom so what makes one gender more willing to share than another I recently

willing to share than another I recently

willing to share than another I recently had a conversation with a college

had a conversation with a college

had a conversation with a college professor who is highly regarded to be

professor who is highly regarded to be

professor who is highly regarded to be an objective decision maker in fact she

an objective decision maker in fact she

an objective decision maker in fact she is the professor of decision science we

is the professor of decision science we

is the professor of decision science we showed this college professor a gender

showed this college professor a gender

showed this college professor a gender neutral restroom placard she said she

neutral restroom placard she said she

neutral restroom placard she said she reduced the restroom then we showed that

reduced the restroom then we showed that

reduced the restroom then we showed that same college professor the female and

same college professor the female and

same college professor the female and gender-neutral placard she declined the

gender-neutral placard she declined the

gender-neutral placard she declined the true difference between the two

true difference between the two

true difference between the two restrooms is how the message is framed

restrooms is how the message is framed

restrooms is how the message is framed the utilitarian response would have been

the utilitarian response would have been

the utilitarian response would have been to use with the restroom

to use with the restroom

to use with the restroom either restroom but it wasn’t the

either restroom but it wasn’t the

either restroom but it wasn’t the response was about the perceived

response was about the perceived

response was about the perceived experience next we tested people’s

experience next we tested people’s

experience next we tested people’s willingness to use and their comfort

willingness to use and their comfort

willingness to use and their comfort levels when showing two separate

levels when showing two separate

levels when showing two separate restroom doors that were each labeled as

restroom doors that were each labeled as

restroom doors that were each labeled as a specific gender or gender neutral

a specific gender or gender neutral

a specific gender or gender neutral females weren’t likely to use the

females weren’t likely to use the

females weren’t likely to use the restroom that not specifically mentioned

restroom that not specifically mentioned

restroom that not specifically mentioned their gender on the door then they were

their gender on the door then they were

their gender on the door then they were the males well we were still a lot less

the males well we were still a lot less

the males well we were still a lot less audacious and unwilling to explore and

audacious and unwilling to explore and

audacious and unwilling to explore and venture into any restroom that the nots

venture into any restroom that the nots

venture into any restroom that the nots a male on the door and this was the

a male on the door and this was the

a male on the door and this was the first research that gave us an

first research that gave us an

first research that gave us an unfavorable comfort level by members of

unfavorable comfort level by members of

unfavorable comfort level by members of the transgender community well what

the transgender community well what

the transgender community well what about a restroom with one door such as a

about a restroom with one door such as a

about a restroom with one door such as a single stall restroom when we showed

single stall restroom when we showed

single stall restroom when we showed people one restroom door with a gender

people one restroom door with a gender

people one restroom door with a gender neutral restroom placard members of the

neutral restroom placard members of the

neutral restroom placard members of the transgender community were extremely

transgender community were extremely

transgender community were extremely comfortable

comfortable

comfortable meanwhile both males and females were

meanwhile both males and females were

meanwhile both males and females were more than likely to use the restroom and

more than likely to use the restroom and

more than likely to use the restroom and their comfort levels were moderately –

their comfort levels were moderately –

their comfort levels were moderately – very comfortable we answered our

very comfortable we answered our

very comfortable we answered our question that we need to use the

question that we need to use the

question that we need to use the restroom utility does supersede

restroom utility does supersede

restroom utility does supersede experience and we could probably call

experience and we could probably call

experience and we could probably call that a wing for the restroom with one

that a wing for the restroom with one

that a wing for the restroom with one door but we’re only human we associate

door but we’re only human we associate

door but we’re only human we associate with others who like us and we seek

with others who like us and we seek

with others who like us and we seek answers that best support our personal

answers that best support our personal

answers that best support our personal beliefs and our personal interests and

beliefs and our personal interests and

beliefs and our personal interests and we could probably agree that we are

we could probably agree that we are

we could probably agree that we are naturally selfish so how do we

naturally selfish so how do we

naturally selfish so how do we simultaneously remove a personal bias

simultaneously remove a personal bias

simultaneously remove a personal bias and improve the restroom experience for

and improve the restroom experience for

and improve the restroom experience for all gender identities let’s build on

all gender identities let’s build on

all gender identities let’s build on that the first approach was to remove

that the first approach was to remove

that the first approach was to remove gender from the restroom placards three

gender from the restroom placards three

gender from the restroom placards three factors of gender were removed first we

factors of gender were removed first we

factors of gender were removed first we reduced the silhouettes to shoulders and

reduced the silhouettes to shoulders and

reduced the silhouettes to shoulders and above then we removed the clothing and

above then we removed the clothing and

above then we removed the clothing and color associated with gender the shared

color associated with gender the shared

color associated with gender the shared restroom placard gave us some of the

restroom placard gave us some of the

restroom placard gave us some of the highest responses from experience and

highest responses from experience and

highest responses from experience and utility to date but as we felt we got

utility to date but as we felt we got

utility to date but as we felt we got closer and closer to what we consider to

closer and closer to what we consider to

closer and closer to what we consider to be the right answer for restroom placard

be the right answer for restroom placard

be the right answer for restroom placard we decided that we needed to make the

we decided that we needed to make the

we decided that we needed to make the experience fun and remove potential

experience fun and remove potential

experience fun and remove potential thoughts of gender from the message the

thoughts of gender from the message the

thoughts of gender from the message the everyone placard gave us the highest

everyone placard gave us the highest

everyone placard gave us the highest responses of experience and utility by

responses of experience and utility by

responses of experience and utility by all gender identities

all gender identities

all gender identities although non-traditional restroom

although non-traditional restroom

although non-traditional restroom placards could improve the user

placards could improve the user

placards could improve the user experience there is any Universal answer

experience there is any Universal answer

experience there is any Universal answer removing non-text gender attributes such

removing non-text gender attributes such

removing non-text gender attributes such as clothing and color could present a

as clothing and color could present a

as clothing and color could present a challenge for a person who speaks

challenge for a person who speaks

challenge for a person who speaks another language we know that we’re not

another language we know that we’re not

another language we know that we’re not willing to do the potty dance because of

willing to do the potty dance because of

willing to do the potty dance because of a sign but how likely are we to make

a sign but how likely are we to make

a sign but how likely are we to make judgments because of a sign and since

judgments because of a sign and since

judgments because of a sign and since there isn’t a universal answer is it

there isn’t a universal answer is it

there isn’t a universal answer is it possible to design a better potty

possible to design a better potty

possible to design a better potty experience from outside the restroom

experience from outside the restroom

experience from outside the restroom door thank you