# Poll: Do you/should you use the toilet if your partner is in the bathroom? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 15, 2014, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525 "2014-05-15T14:05:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/61 "2014-05-16T13:35:15Z")
My old man use to say that a guy who’ll use the toilet without closing the door… and warned my sister that if a guy will number 2 while you’re in their… then their’s a great possiblity that he spents some time in the joint… (hooskow…big house… whatever the kids are calling it today) As for me and my honey… nope… noo… nahh I’m probably more squeamish about it than she is… ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/62 "2014-05-16T13:39:16Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > When problems happen you deal with them. There is no need to start training for our 80s when we are in our 30s-40s. Seeing her bodily functions now will not help me in anyway. Why would it? > [@PurpleClogs](#): > > Hire someone! Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes shit (heh) befalls you before you plan on it or are prepared to deal with it. And often, you don’t have the luxury of hiring someone else to deal with it. Just saying. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/63 "2014-05-16T13:40:44Z")
Never. If I only had one bathroom, I’d use a bush outside before I’d use the bathroom if my husband was in there. Romance would never survive for me otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/64 "2014-05-16T15:13:46Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > It’s funny you think caretaking (diapering kids, tending to elderly spouse) and wanting bathroom privacy are at all related. Yeah, because those are examples of seeing someone at maybe not their best, and still loving them. When my kids were getting toilet trained I spent a lot of time in the bathroom with them. “It’s packing its bags. It’s getting ready …” ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/65 "2014-05-16T15:18:06Z")
> [@PurpleClogs](#): > > Hire someone! I didn’t mean the partner pooping all over the bed. I see hiring someone for that, at least part of the time. I meant more that at 80 that mystery that seems to lead to romance for some people is way gone. But I hope that the romance isn’t. Unless you’re like the guy in the Tom Lehrer song, that is. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/66 "2014-05-16T15:19:12Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Never. If I only had one bathroom, I’d use a bush outside before I’d use the bathroom if my husband was in there. > > Romance would never survive for me otherwise. Never lived in a city, eh? ---
**Author:** ![SarahRodriguez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@SarahRodriguez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SarahRodriguez)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/67 "2014-05-16T16:12:53Z")
I personally have no problems doing that. My husband is a different story… He doesn’t mind too much if I go while he is in there, unless it’s to poop, then he usually makes a face and leaves. If I go in to the bathroom while HE is in their, he always tells me to leave. He doesn’t like anyone in there while he is on the toliet. No exceptions. I myself would be comfortable leaving the doors open and anyone walking in. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/68 "2014-05-16T16:48:01Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Yeah, because those are examples of seeing someone at maybe not their best, and still loving them. When my kids were getting toilet trained I spent a lot of time in the bathroom with them. “It’s packing its bags. It’s getting ready …” Right and you don’t think I did that too? And changed diapers? And was vomited on. And changed my dad’s diapers before he died? Of course I (and probably lots of others in this thread, too) am able and willing to do those things. I just find it funny that you can’t imagine that someone who is generally private and would rather not go to the bathroom in front of a spouse would also have no problem tending to their loved ones. It’s not that hard to compartmentalize things, if need be. Willingness to do care-taking, even when unpleasant, is a whole different game than articulating what your preferences would be normal, day to day conditions. I promise that if my husband came in and peed while I was brushing my teeth, I would still love him. But I’d really rather he didn’t because I find it gross. And if he’s incontinent at 80 and I can tend to him, I will do so lovingly, even if I think it’s still gross. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/69 "2014-05-16T16:49:17Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Never lived in a city, eh? Not a lot, but then I’d use a gas station. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/70 "2014-05-19T15:00:47Z")
Not partners but housemates: bathroom time is private time save when you absolutely need something and someone is in the shower. Exceptions are made for urgent needs when the other bathroom is full. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/71 "2014-05-19T15:44:10Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > I think people who grew up with one bathroom, or with lots of siblings, tend to not think twice about such things. If you’ve gotta go, you go. > > That being said, if there’s another bathroom available, I’ll use it. This - one bathroom, 6 people in the house while I was growing up. That said, it would need to be urgent - I’m not going to walk in from a vague need to pee, but an urgent need is just that. That said, we did learn in my household to do a general question before showers of “hey, I’m going to take a shower - does anyone need to go before I get in there?”. Didn’t eliminate (heh) all interruptions, but they were far reduced. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525/72 "2014-05-20T19:16:09Z")
> [@SarahRodriguez](#): > > I personally have no problems doing that. My husband is a different story… > He doesn’t mind too much if I go while he is in there, unless it’s to poop, then he usually makes a face and leaves. . This kind of amazes me. It’s one thing if you don’t have issues with it, but since you know that your husband obviously _does_, does it not bother you to actively offend the person you want to find you sexually appealing? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-do-you-should-you-use-the-toilet-if-your-partner-is-in-the-bathroom/688525.md?page=3)