Ep 134 The Problem with Public Toilets
Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –
Public toilets is a subject I never thought I would be talking about on the blog. The Covid-19 pandemic changed many things in our lives, and the closing of most toilets which had been available to the public was something I found troubling. Lezlie Lowe has looked at the many issues surrounding our access to public toilets in her book “No Place To Go”. Lezlie recognizes that different people have different needs when it comes to the availability of toilets and the plight of those of us with celiac disease is not lost on her. Lezlie talks about the history of pubic toilets, why some municipalities are more in tune with our toilet needs and what can be done to encourage our leadership to make toilets more available in our communities.
You can find Lezlie online at www.lezlielowe.ca
On twitter @lezlielowe
On Instagram at noplacetogothebook
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast
Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com
Instagram – @suesgfbaking
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
Most of us with celiac disease remember how our lives changed after our diagnosis. Our brains became fixated on gluten free everything. Once I started on the diet, it was a slow process for my health to change. I remember my dependence on bathrooms prior to my diagnosis, but things seemed to have greater urgency once I was diagnosed, but accidently ingested gluten. This “re-glutening” was an unstoppable force that didn’t give me much time to find a bathroom.
I know I’m not alone. The topic comes up often in casual conversation with other celiacs. When it happens though, you feel very alone and somewhat panicky. I remember a time when I travelled to Toronto and had a quick lunch with a friend before meeting my husband at our hotel. I was being very independent and riding the subway to downtown, something I hadn’t done by myself for many years. This was not a good day. The timing of my subway ride after my lunch would have been fine, had I not been “glutened”. The ride wasn’t long, but for me it was endless. I remember looking around at the other passengers hoping they couldn’t see the desperation on my face. I didn’t have a plan for a public bathroom, I was all in for the mad dash to our hotel room. I made it for the most part – but I was miserable.
My story is only of one day, we all have a collection of very private moments that end with our need for a bathroom with not much time to spare. It’s part of being celiac. I’m not likely to embrace it any time soon, but I can support the need for more public toilets with better signage and a more “toilet-friendly” attitude from our municipal leaders. We need public toilets – so does the rest of the population – but maybe not with the urgency that we might need them from time to time. Lezlie took the extra step to bring the problem out into the open, now it’s our turn to ask for more toilets with better signage in our towns and cities.