It’s A Man’s World - Even In The Bathroom
Well, it’s been a minute since I sat down to write.
This past year has been interesting for all of us, but one thing remains unchanged: the Man’s World is still alive and well. Case in point—my first day back at the office in a newly renovated space... where, for the first few hours, I didn’t have access to a bathroom.
Honestly, I laughed.
The guys in the office gave me a tour, handing me a key card with the casual explanation: "This is where the bathroom pass is." I glanced down, saw "Men’s Restroom" on it, and assumed it was just the standard access key. About 30 minutes into my first day, I needed to use the restroom, grabbed the pass, and went on my way.
The women’s bathroom was quite the trek down the hall, and upon arrival, I discovered that the "Men’s Bathroom" pass did not, in fact, grant me access to the women’s restroom. Fantastic. I searched the office, hoping to find another solution, before ultimately having to ask my significantly older (and much, much higher-paid) male superior—after way too long crossing my legs in desperation—for guidance on how, exactly, I could use a bathroom.
He was confused. Then embarrassed for me. Then spent ten minutes searching for a Women’s Guest Bathroom pass. Yes, you read that right—guest bathroom. Unable to locate one, he finally ushered me into the code-protected men’s executive suite and told me I could use it whenever I needed. How kind—considering it was my only option!
Taking matters into my own hands, I later emailed a woman who had previously worked in administration. She kindly gave me the context I needed to track down the elusive women’s guest pass for my second day.
Now, a few thoughts to entertain:
A “Women’s Guest Pass?” Why is the only form of female restroom access designated for guests?
Why did no one think to take additional action? The “temporary solution” was left as just that—temporary.
Why is this still happening in 2025? A valid question, yet somehow one I already know the answer to.
A few hours later, one of the male directors stopped by my desk to greet me. His first comment?
"How are you doing? These guys gave you a tour, right? And showed you where the restroom is?"
Technically, yes, they did. So I timidly answered, “Yes.”
Before I could explain the issue, he smirked and said, "Glad to know these guys aren’t acting like animals."
Office culture hasn’t exactly evolved past the ‘90s, and let’s just say certain dynamics haven’t changed either. But here’s the kicker—it’s not just about bathrooms or outdated office culture. It’s about something bigger.
If you’re a woman in a male-dominated field, you already know the feeling: moments like these aren’t shocking, just subtly exhausting. It’s the constant recalibration, the mental gymnastics of figuring out whether to laugh, push back, or let something slide for the sake of "choosing your battles."
And while I’d love to meet my equal, I’ll never end up cuffed to the type of man who assumes women in this industry—especially the ones labeled ball-busters—have no interest in marriage. Case in point: just last week, someone actually told me, "Oh, I didn’t realize you were trying to get married."
At the end of the day, moments like these remind me why I tell these stories—not just for comedic relief, but because they highlight something women experience constantly. It’s easy to write them off as "little things," yet they create a culture, a tone, an expectation. And changing that doesn’t happen in one bold, groundbreaking moment. It happens in the slow, consistent work of not letting it go unnoticed.
That’s why I don’t just leave these thoughts in my head. Just like I would relieve myself in the women’s bathroom, I plan to relieve my thoughts just as freely in conversations moving forward.
Diversity of thought will always ring true—just like Jack’s line in Lord of the Flies: "After all, we’re not savages." At least some animals aren’t savages, right?
Hopefully, no one takes this entry too seriously—it’s just a parody. But at the end of the day, I can laugh about these moments—because honestly, I like the guys I work with (even if they unknowingly handed me a bathroom pass I couldn’t use).
And if Cher and I were the same age, I’d say she read my mind when she said, "I love men. I think men are the coolest."
Cheers to another ridiculous situation in Corporate America.
