Environmental Factors that effect privacy of Transmen in department stores’ public restrooms

Abstract

The objective of this research was to study problems regarding privacy of transmen while using public restrooms. This raised questions such as ‘Which Environmental factors can cause obstacles for transmen while using the public Restroom?’ and ‘How to guide a suitable design of public restroom for all sexualities?’. This research was conducted by conceptual framework called ‘Design Thinking’ through gathering information regarding privacy problems while using public restrooms with an indepth interview. Further procedure was to conduct group discussion along with collaborative design by all sexualities key informants to solve privacy problems in accordance with ‘Queer Universal Design’, then inquiring people from different sexualities in society about their opinion on the models. This study has found that; surrounding factors and attitudes toward the use of restrooms due to an exclusively categorization only male and female, undoubtedly caused privacy problems to transmen.Hence there is a need for introducing ‘All-Gender Restroom’ which will be correctively designed according to ‘Queer Universal Design’ theory as an equally acceptable concept for all people.