To some it might only be a restroom sign. To others – ourselves included – it’s a stubborn artefact of a society badly in need of change.

Up until last week, our restroom door featured the traditional signage: a blue, trouser-clad icon next to a red one in a skirt. So simple, so binary.

We believe that gender-separated toilets should be a thing of the past. Especially in Berlin, a center of LGBTQI culture. It’s not that simple, though, and even here official regulations mandate that restaurants offer separate toilets for “Herren” (Gents) and “Damen” (Ladies). 

Well, we finally got rid of our outdated restroom sign. And we hope – no, we demand – that other restaurants and public places do so as well. Above all, we believe that toilet signs should refer to their functionality: as places where you do whatever it is you need to do there. No gender distinctions needed. 

For our new bathroom sign, we adopted the visual language of the tape recorder. That’s our solution with no prescriptive value for others – we would very much welcome seeing other signs that go beyond skirts and trousers and ladies and gentlemen. 

Here’s what it means:

Rewind… a place to reflect on the evening, conversations, impressions. 

Pause… a place to retreat to, to take a breather and/or a major dump. 

Play… a place for playful moments. Just ask if you need condoms. 

Fast Forward…a place to recharge and power on full steam afterwards. 

And in the middle we’ve got the heart icon, reminiscent of grandma’s outhouse, to evoke a kind of hospitality that straddles tradition and inclusivity.

To help you choose the right door upon entering the washroom area, we once again looked to functionality. 

You’ll find one door saying “sitzen” – that means “to sit.”

There is another door saying “sitzen +” – the plus referring to the size of the room in case you’re taking a whole group or need extra space for your wheelchair.

What was previously the men’s room is now labelled “sitzen und stehen” – to sit and to stand, referring to two urinals and a toilet.

We’re confident you’ll be able to find the right toilet with no reference to skirts and trousers. No matter what you choose, just be sure to wash your hands.