Which one is for male or female? — Abstract toilet signs confuse Singaporeans

SINGAPORE: A photo of quirky and abstract toilet signs in Singapore has recently surfaced on social media, leaving many puzzled as to which sign is intended for males and which for females.

On Saturday (June 8), Ms Ashlyn Ye shared the intriguing photo on the Facebook Group ‘Complaint Singapore’ with the caption: “Don’t know which one.”

Two symbols are on the walls next to the doors in the photograph. On the left side, a dot is positioned above a “less than equal” sign, while on the right, another dot sits above a zigzag line.

The photo has elicited mixed reactions from netizens. Some expressed confusion and dissatisfaction with the design, noting that the signs are unclear and may cause inconvenience, especially for those in a hurry.

One netizen said, “Just choose anything. Sign is not clear.” Another netizen took a critical stance, commenting, “This is not creative, this is insane.” 

A few others joked that if they ever came across these signs, they would just pick a random door and enter it, as this is the quickest way to determine whether the restroom is male or female.

One netizen stated, “Just walk in if you hear screaming you know you walk to the wrong one.”

Another netizen, meanwhile, shared a different perspective, proposing that the signs represent activities rather than genders: “If you need to poo, go right; if you need to pee, go left.”

In jest, several netizens also made the classic quip that the right door should be for females, as “women are always right.”

Others, however, took the matter seriously and pointed out that the signs depict men’s and women’s peeing positions.

This means that the left one, which appears to stand and lean towards the toilet, is for men, and the right one, which appears to be sitting on a toilet, is for women.

One netizen wrote, “Obviously, boys on the left and girls on the right—that image on the left can’t be a woman talking, right?”

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