German Court Rules Men Can Urinate While Standing

In Dusseldorf, Germany a court has ruled that it is permissible for men to urinate while standing.

The ruling came after a landlord in the sixth most populous city in Germany sought nearly $2,855 in damages to repair a bathroom floor. The landlord claimed the floor had “lost its sheen” by being regularly sprinkled with urine by a male tenant.

“Despite growing domestication of men in this matter, urinating while standing up is still common practice,” said Judge Stefan Hank, who added that damage to marble floors from urine is virtually unknown.

Germans are debating whether men should sit or stand when urinating. Some public toilets in the country have red traffic-style signs advising men to sit while peeing.

The German case follows debate over “manspreading” on public transport in the United States.

The posture of men on subways cars and buses in New York and other cities has served as a rallying call for feminists who want to outlaw the practice.

In December, New York’s Metropolitan Transportation (MTA) Authority launched a campaign to curb “inelegant male posture” on public transport.

The “Dude…Stop the Spread, Please” campaign cost the MTA $76,000 despite the fact the MTA is running a budget deficit.

Due to budget constraints, in December the MTA raised the base fare on subways and buses by a quarter, to $2.75, and the cost of a 30-day MetroCard by $4.50, to $116.50.

New York's campaign against 'manspreading' on public transport is spot on, says @bspeed8 http://t.co/481yIvckBh pic.twitter.com/PewTy4SfHD
— Independent Voices (@IndyVoices) January 15, 2015

“Expect to see many more campaigns in which feminist activists, local police, academic administrators, politicians, government bureaucrats, journalists, and community leaders form partnerships to quell unruly male behavior,” writes Janice Fiamengo.

“Boys and young men at public school and college will be made to attend an increasing number of anti-sexual assault classes, violence-prevention programs, ‘affirmative consent’ seminars, and ‘Check Your Privilege’ workshops. We will see many more poster crusades telling (white, heterosexual) men what they are and are not allowed to say, do, and think (see for example, Make Your Move, ostensibly targeting sexual violence generally but focused exclusively on the supposed violence of white heterosexual men — and now being enthusiastically embraced by the same police who had sanctioned the ‘Don’t Be That Guy’ campaign, also targeting white men exclusively).”