A sign of the times?

[Jock]

We tend to laugh at signs produced by folks who's first language is not English, but this sign from a far eastern land gets top marks from me!

[RichardA]

[Charlie]

Perhaps they know something we don't??

Charlie

[sapphire]

OOPS!

Reminnds me of one of my personal favorites. About 30 (!!!) years ago, the Boston campus of the University of Massachusetts opened.

At that time I was working at the Amherst campus of the University of Massachusetts. There was a meeting at the Boston campus that a couple of colleagues and I had to attend.

As we turned onto the long driveway leading up to the main building we were me by two signs. There were both tacked one above the other on the same pole, in between the entrance and exit driveways, but not indicate which sign applied to which driveway. The signs read:

DO NOT ENTER
ENTER HERE

[Peter v]

We tend to laugh at signs produced by folks who's first language is not English, but this sign from a far eastern land gets top marks from me!

Great sign, it must be from a very wet country. It is a man in a rain coat.


Well, as very many women wear pants nowadays, then a figure not in a dress would be suitable for women.

Hmn with changing fashion what would be a better alternative?
Possibly the symbols for male and female, resp. "circle and arrow", and "circle and plus".

Peter v.

[sapphire]

Your suggestion has merit

[Jock]

Aye, Peter V, that would do. Ah`m surprised the old signs still survive

[DavidsSkirts]

To me, it looks like it may be from somewhere like Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines or the like, where they were those knee-length skirt-styled jackets as part of everyday 'formal' dress ???

[BrotherTailor]

I often think of this as I see these 1950's era symbols that still adorn public toilets...often without the "men" or "women" wording, just the symbol. It is deeply ingrained in our psyche, even that of toddlers that "men wear pants, women wear dresses" when in actual fact this is simply not true at the present time. These simply reinforce a bias that ought rightly to die a natural death. Frankly, in this literate society that exists today, simply the words "men's" or "women's" is sufficient.

[crfriend]

Frankly, in this literate society that exists today, simply the words "men's" or "women's" is sufficient.

Whilst it's a nice thought to believe that literate socities are universal, sadly the truth is that 100% literacy is damnably rare -- and even where 100% literacy is the norm, there's the problem of the occasional individual who doesn't speak (or read) the local language. So, clearly, some form of pictogram is required; witness the global convergence on traffic signage for an example.

Pictograms are very useful entities. In the above-mentioned traffic-signage example, I might not know what "ARRET" means (alright, I do, but that's beside the point), but I do understand what a red octagonal sign means when placed at the entrance to an intersection. The western-centric pictograms for "restroom" labelling lose most meaning once outside western society's influence (hence, the labelling on the sign from the Orient -- oops...) where skirted garments are not essentially female-only.

I think that Peter v's notion of the vastly older "circle and cross" and "circle and arrow" makes more sense, but I'm not sure if those "translate" well into, say, Eastern or Asian cultures. Of course, then one gets into the realm where there's confusion. What then? A "circle and question-mark?"

[geegee]

On a similar topic, I was at the theatre recently (wearing tro*sers) and went to the Gents after the show. While waiting for a vacant urinal, I saw a woman come out of one of the cubicles, saying "sorry lads, I just could not wait" (There was a queue for the ladies ). My wife was waiting outside and, seeing me grinning, asked what was so funny. I told her that there had been a woman in the Gents and was overheard by an usher who said "Perhaps it was a cross-dresser". In a rare moment of inspiration, I said "Yes, in a way, it was a woman wearing trousers." The usher just looked puzzled.

[Charlie]

I saw a woman come out of one of the cubicles, saying "sorry lads, I just could not wait" (There was a queue for the ladies ).

If the situation had been reversed i.e. a man in the ladies, imagine the howls of outrage. What a lopsided society

However, once on a campsite in France, I spent aaaages looking for the Gents toilet block. Turned out there was one, unisex block with the urinals discretely tucked away in a corner. One block for both sexes - makes sense.

Charlie

[Peter v]

Aye, Peter V, that would do. Ah`m surprised the old signs still survive

Love the drawing. Did you make it yourself or did you lend it?

Peter v.

[Peter v]

I often think of this as I see these 1950's era symbols that still adorn public toilets...often without the "men" or "women" wording, just the symbol. It is deeply ingrained in our psyche, even that of toddlers that "men wear pants, women wear dresses" when in actual fact this is simply not true at the present time. These simply reinforce a bias that ought rightly to die a natural death. Frankly, in this literate society that exists today, simply the words "men's" or "women's" is sufficient.

Quite right, and in the Netherlands, I would believe the Country with possibly the most "picture" traffic and other signs in the world, I believe some older signs have been updated to show modern transport means. So updating is not difficult.

As I said, the symbols ♀♂ for men and women, relating to the gender, and not the clothes worn are I think International and should be updated all over the world. From Children to elderly people, no on would mistake it. And you would not have to read. How could we get that implemented?

Peter v.

[Peter v]

I saw a woman come out of one of the cubicles, saying "sorry lads, I just could not wait" (There was a queue for the ladies ).

If the situation had been reversed i.e. a man in the ladies, imagine the howls of outrage. What a lopsided society

However, once on a campsite in France, I spent aaaages looking for the Gents toilet block. Turned out there was one, unisex block with the urinals discretely tucked away in a corner. One block for both sexes - makes sense.

Charlie

Don't talk to me about French toilets

I was with my wife on holliday in France, many years back, and they had a toilet blok with Urinals on the outside! wall. So campers could see directly apon them

French toilets? Stand up
We left the very next day, not wanting to buy rubber boots so that we could go to the french "loo" and keep our feet clean. That was so shocking for us, that I can't remember the two sexes thing. I personnaly think they are only suited for short mini skirts, no slip (under pants) and rubber boots. We went some more times to France, but were lucky enough to find campings with normal modern toilet conveniences as we were used to in the Netherlands.

PS I think I get some strange looks, when I go to the gents, as I wear skirts every day, but I just don't look around, I go my way, so I don't see if anybody is looking "what am I seeing".
Peter v.