Taiwan Minister Says Men Should Sit Down to Urinate

Oh great, now Taiwan…

A Taiwanese minister has caused widespread debate on hygiene by suggesting that men should sit down while urinating instead of standing up.

Stephen Shen, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) minister, said that sitting on the toilet like women do creates a cleaner environment.

This has generated a lot of online debate, says the BBC’s Cindy Sui.

Officials are to ask local governments this week to put up notices in public places advising men to sit.

While many women in social media websites favour the suggestion, a lot of men say it would be hard to stop doing what they are used to, our correspondent in Taipei adds.

But EPA officials insist that it can be done.

“We want to learn from Japan and Sweden,” said Yuan Shaw-jing, EPA director general of environmental santitation and toxic substance maintenance.

“In Japan, we heard 30% of the men sit,” he added.

I hadn’t heard about Japan, but I did know about Sweden…

As for Mr Shen, the EPA confirmed that he himself practices what he suggests – at home and while using public toilets.

Good on him for not being a hypocrite, I suppose.  But what a gormless, effeminate twit!

Left Party of Sörmland, Sweden, Wants Men to Sit Down to Urinate

I had previously heard rumours about this kind of mindset in Sweden (see here), but they only ever linked this story, with no independent confirmation.

Now, though, here are two pieces (see here and here), about Swedes trying to encourage men to sit to urinate.  (HT: Oz Conservative)

From the one:

Men who work for the Sörmland County Council in central Sweden should sit down rather than stand up when urinating in office toilets, according to a motion put forward by the local Left Party chapter.

[...]

As a first step in its quest to get men to take a seat, the Left Party proposes labeling toilets which are designated for men who absolutely want to remain standing when they pee.

The Left Party’s Viggo Hansen, a substitute member of the county council and the man responsible for the proposal, wants the office toilets to be genderless and as a result, is pushing for the “sit-down only” requirement.

And from the other:

The supporters of the motion said sitting during urination also has medical benefits, including reducing the risk of prostate problems and leading to a healthier and longer sex life.

Viggo Hansen, a substitute member of the council and author of the motion, said he wants it to eventually lead to sitting-only bathrooms.

Incredible.  Ah well; we already knew what nutbars Swedes have become…