# Are outhouses universal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978 "2017-09-22T15:45:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/1 "2017-09-22T15:45:52Z")
As I get ready for a camping trip, I started to wonder about outhouses. Are they a universal in settled cultures? For this discussion, I’m going to define an outhouse as a structure designed to provide privacy, and possibly protection from the elements, when defecating. It must also use a pit of some kind. Does any group just use a chamber pot equivalent? Or grab a shovel and head to the outskirts of town? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/2 "2017-09-22T16:09:56Z")
Here you go: > **[Open defecation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_defecation)** > > Lists > Categories > Open defecation is the human practice of defecating outside ("in the open") rather than into a toilet. People may choose fields, bushes, forests, ditches, streets, canals, or other open spaces for defecation. They do so either because they do not have a toilet readily accessible or due to traditional cultural practices. The practice is common where sanitation infrastructure and services are not available. Even if toilets are available, behavior change efforts may still be nee... ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/3 "2017-09-22T16:49:32Z")
So, per the cite about a billion people still used open defecation as of 2012. Particularly in India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan. I guess outhouses are not quite universal. ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/4 "2017-09-22T20:53:37Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > So, per the cite about a billion people still used open defecation as of 2012. > > Particularly in India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan. > > I guess outhouses are not quite universal. I wager outhouses, or at least “enclosed pooping spaces”, are/were universal in areas that get very cold in the winter, but that’s just a guess. ---
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/5 "2017-09-27T01:03:42Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > So, per the cite about a billion people still used open defecation as of 2012. > > Particularly in India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan. > > I guess outhouses are not quite universal. The present PM of India, Modi, campaigned on the promise that every school would have a toilet. This is a very big deal, not just in India, but in the other counties mentioned. Those who wish to dig deeper into this question can consult[this book](https://www.amazon.com/Big-Necessity-Unmentionable-World-Matters/dp/1250058309), which is actually and interesting read. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/6 "2017-09-27T01:24:38Z")
This could be the worst user name / question combination ever. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/7 "2017-09-27T01:42:46Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > So, per the cite about a billion people still used open defecation as of 2012. > > Particularly in India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan. > > I guess outhouses are not quite universal. And San Francisco. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/8 "2017-09-27T04:06:29Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > This could be the worst user name / question combination ever. Yuck! ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/9 "2017-09-27T17:06:08Z")
The August 2017 National Geographic did a fairly decent article covering [just this topic](http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/08/toilet-defecate-outdoors-stunting-sanitation/). ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/10 "2017-09-27T17:18:52Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > This could be the worst user name / question combination ever. That’s some funny shit right there. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/11 "2017-09-27T17:25:17Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > So, per the cite about a billion people still used open defecation as of 2012. And they weren’t commonplace in high-density human areas around the Med either, to give an example of a different setup. You’d use a chamber pot. > [@Blakeyrat](#): > > I wager outhouses, or at least “enclosed pooping spaces”, are/were universal in areas that get very cold in the winter, but that’s just a guess. You’re working under the assumption that houses would have a convenient yard. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/12 "2017-09-27T17:49:32Z")
Actually until the 1960s remote villagers in Britain used outhouses, with even an oil-drum; and those workers in the grim mill-towns in sad two-up-two-down row-houses had a yard where a number of dreary outhouses lay together one for each house, up to the 1950s. Both are mentioned/shown in this ancient BBC Documentary. [**The Toilet: An Unspoken History**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274520/), by Ifor ap Glyn. 2012. [**YouTube**]([http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/The](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/The) Toilet An unspoken History), but if you want to watch it more than 5 minutes find a better free version. And as well as San Fran, [**San Diego**](https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/09/fecally-san-diego-getting-bleach-pressure-wash-amid-viral-outbreak/). Where today reaches the 17th or 18th death from Hep A. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/13 "2017-09-28T22:05:19Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > The August 2017 National Geographic did a fairly decent article covering [just this topic](http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/08/toilet-defecate-outdoors-stunting-sanitation/). Per the article, apparently a lot of people in India don’t want toilets and won’t use them when provided. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2017, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/14 "2017-09-28T22:06:42Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > This could be the worst user name / question combination ever. Tastes a bit nutty. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/15 "2017-09-28T22:23:47Z")
> [@tsbg](#): > > per the article, apparently a lot of people in india don’t want toilets and won’t use them when provided. _Freedom !!!_ ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/16 "2017-09-29T01:00:56Z")
I worked with a guy who was in high school before they even had a outhouse. Madison County, Arkansas. The time frame was probably late 60’s. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/17 "2017-09-29T02:14:53Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > Per the article, apparently a lot of people in India don’t want toilets and won’t use them when provided. Haven’t read the article, but I’ve heard the same thing about Somali immigrants. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/18 "2017-09-29T11:01:37Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > This could be the worst user name / question combination ever. Made me as happy as a pig in muck. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/19 "2017-09-29T11:12:30Z")
Of course, China, the Muslim World, the Aztecs etc. etc. were all much far advanced than the wretched Europeans in the Old World, and had brilliant inventions and contrivances that made their happy peasants and workers live in the lap of luxury and freedom. One of the Chinese ones was to poop over a hole where the waste went down to a pigsty where the pigs were encouraged to eat the human waste before being killed and eaten by the humans producing the waste. I didn’t say the pigs were happy. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-outhouses-universal/796978/20 "2017-09-29T22:11:38Z")
My grandparents said once to make extra money they would rent out the basement of the outhouse.