Why do public restrooms even have stalls, if not for privacy? If they can be arrested for masturbating, then everyone in the restroom should be arrested for indecent exposure when they expose their genitals to do their business.
- age 15, North Carolina
This Week's Wackiest Response:
For health reasons, I definitely wouldn't suggest this. Nastiness abounds in these disgusting places, and you don't want any of that nastiness on any part of you, let alone your precious li'l soldier. As a general rule, I would avoid even sitting down in a public restroom, but that's just me. If you really have to, then get some gloves or something...hee hee.
- age 18, British Columbia, Canada
Yes, it should be okay to masturbate behind a closed stall door. A person would really have to be purposely looking in between the door and the walls of the stall in order to see you. If they're shocked then, that's tough. Our American society is getting way too uptight. However, it would be inappropriate to masturbate at urinals if there are little kids around, or otherwise very indiscreetly. Otherwise, that's okay, too.
- age 36, New York
I do think masturbation is a personal thing that should be done at home — but if I got the urge while in public, I would probably find the nearest bathroom stall with a door and go at it.
- age 16, Mississippi
It's not okay to masturbate in a public restroom stall, because having sex with someone else in a public restroom is not okay and probably illegal. Even if you can't see what the person is doing, you would still be able to hear it. I can't imagine why someone would want to masturbate in a public restroom anyway. Public restrooms stink. Maybe some people are into that. On the other hand, peeking into someone's stall like that cop did in the article is an invasion of privacy. Bad cop. No donut.
- age 30, California (female)
I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I have done it several times. There is nothing like masturbating and knowing someone is in the stall next to you, perhaps doing the same thing. It's a great thrill when someone comes in and you don't know whether to stop or keep going. I love to stand up, ejaculate all over the back of the toilet, zip up, and leave. It's a great thrill for me.
- age 23, Oklahoma
I think it's okay — if you have to do it, then you have to do it. Doors are for privacy, and that should be when you can do it. If people disagree, then maybe they should build "Public Masturbation Rooms" for everyone to use.
- age 15, Australia
I think it's okay, as long as the person doesn't shout during his orgasm, does not deposit his semen on the floor or other places not meant for it, and does not take too long if there are only a few stalls.
- age 33, Holland
I think it's kind of exciting and dangerous to masturbate in a public restroom. I have done it before, and it was fun.
- age 15, Minnesota
If I had been asked this question 2 weeks ago, I would have said no. However, last week I went to visit relatives for a week and had no chance to masturbate the entire 6-day trip. By the time I made it to the airport for the flight home, I was horny as hell. I had an hour to kill before my flight, so I decided to take a dump. After I finished my business, I got an erection in the stall. I did not intend to do anything about it, but after a few squeezes, there was no turning back. I had one of the most unbelievable orgasms of my life.
- age 33, Arkansas
Absolutely! If most people masturbate, then it should be allowed. Some people claim masturbating is a private thing, but tell me then: What is sitting on the toilet? That sounds private to me. Many adults might see a problem with public-restroom masturbation involving the risk of a child seeing it. But, this would just introduce them to a behavior that they will try sooner or later anyway. It may teach them that everyone does it and that they should not be ashamed of it.
- age 16, North Carolina
I don't believe it's okay to masturbate in a public restroom stall. Although I do believe that what someone does behind closed doors is totally okay, the fact that it is in a public washroom has all the bearing in the world.
- age 49, Illinois
I see nothing wrong with masturbating behind closed doors in a public restroom. After all, sometimes a gal is so horny she just has to have an orgasm to restore her sensibility. Remember, our male friends are not always available.
- age 19, Pennsylvania (female)
Good question — in this age of AIDS, I'd wonder about the danger of someone who is infected leaving something behind that could infect the next person to use the stall, even if he cleaned up after himself. You also have to respect the wishes of some people who might not want to hear their neighbor's sighs and moans. So, I'd say that if you are certain you are not infected, if you can be completely quiet, and if you clean up after yourself, sure — why not?
- age 43, Rhode Island
It's perfectly okay. I've done it hundreds of times. When someone else comes into the restroom, I stop. I believe it is inappropriate to disturb others by masturbating while they are in the restroom.
- age 27, Ohio
I honestly don't think there's any problem with masturbating behind a closed door of a public restroom. I have done it several times, myself. I watched the "Politically Incorrect" episode where they discussed it, and Molly Sims's argument was, "What if you brought your child in there?" My response to that is this: Is it grosser to see someone masturbating or doing a #2?
- age 19, Alaska
I have masturbated in a public restroom, and I sometimes fantasize about encountering another guy masturbating in that restroom. Nevertheless, I believe public restrooms should be reserved for going to the bathroom. Even behind a closed door, it can be easy to tell what is going on (noises, etc.) Those who don't want to encounter this shouldn't have to — especially children. You never know who is going to walk into a public restroom. I think it is especially inappropriate to masturbate in a public restroom where there are children or police officers — closed stall door or not.
- age 40, Pennsylvania
Not really, because there is always the possibility for this person to be discovered — and while not only embarrassing for the person masturbating, it could be offensive to the person who catches the unlucky masturbator. Also, this seems *really* unclean. No matter how nice the restroom is, it's nothing compared to the relative cleanliness of your own home. Plus, I'm sure no one wants to find your semen on the toilet seat.
- age 16, New Jersey
It can present some problems. Others in the room who realize what you are doing could think you might want some company in your activity. Once I entered the restroom in our office complex and heard the familiar sounds of male masturbation coming from the last stall. That was the only time in my experience that the person masturbating in the restroom was not interested in having someone join him in his pleasure. Since sexual activity between consenting adults in public places is usually illegal, I would say it probably isn't okay to masturbate in a public restroom stall, even if you do not intend to have someone join you. But have I done it, and will I do it again? Yes, indeed!
- age 40, California
As long as you're not squirting semen under the stall wall onto the shoe of the person beside you, I see nothing wrong with it.
- age 14, Pennsylvania (female)
I don't see any reason why not. I frequently masturbate in the shower of my health club. How could I not, after seeing so many nice naked bodies!
- age 18, Michigan
It is perfectly fine to masturbate in public restrooms. I can recall times I have done it and have walked in on other guys doing it (which kind of turned me on). I remember when I first started to masturbate — I would do it anywhere and everywhere, including public bathrooms, dressing rooms, and other public places — with friends (girls and guys). Masturbating in public places is very exciting!
- age 14, Florida
I have no problem with masturbating in a public washroom, as long as there are no children around. Some of my best times have been in a bathroom stall with someone in the next stall, and the rush of them knowing what you're doing, yet not saying anything.
- age 38, Nova Scotia, Canada
I think it's fine as long as nobody sees you. I've done it twice so far, and it is very intense. The first time I was at a baseball game and got an erection that just wouldn't go away. There must have been about 50 people in that bathroom, but I masturbated successfully to an amazing orgasm without getting caught. The second time was far more intense. My friend and I went into the stall, I stood on the toilet, and he masturbated me. Then I did the same for him — and wow, was that awesome! I think as long as you remain unseen, it is okay to masturbate in a public place. Plus, the orgasms are way better!
- age 14, Pennsylvania
The problem is you can't control people's motivation. If someone has a need to masturbate, and the restroom is the only place, and he is being respectful and discreet, then okay. On the other hand, if someone is turned on by the idea of being caught and is trying to walk that line between being secretive and being discovered — being less careful with the amount of noise he is making, getting more excited when someone walks in — that's different. If I walk in while this second guy is doing his thing, he is blatantly subjecting me to his sexual desires in a public place. This is not okay. Even if he is completely quiet, but is using me as a sexual prop for his pleasure while I use the restroom, that is still not okay.
- age 25, New Jersey
It's wrong to masturbate in a public restroom, even behind a closed stall door. What if the lock is broken? What if one of the toilet staff happens to come around the corner? What if there is a 5-year-old in the next cubicle? He might be mentally scarred for life! Anyway, the potential for embarrassment in a toilet is just too great.
- age 15, United Kingdom
Yes, as long as he's masturbating behind closed doors (even stall doors, which imply privacy). It's an unwritten restroom code that you don't look at the guy next to you or peek into stalls. Referring to the "Politically Incorrect" transcript, that policeman had no business looking in at this guy, no matter what he was doing. I'm assuming the stall door was closed, of course, or else it would fall into the category of indecent exposure. Anyway, situations where I think it wouldn't be okay are in coed restrooms, those that young children frequent, or simply high-traffic areas. People shouldn't create awkward situations by doing this in questionable areas. I know I wouldn't risk arrest over something so trivial.
- age 22, California
Masturbating behind a closed stall door is okay — but you should do it only when noise and movement can be kept to a minimum. Moaning and banging the walls (or your balls) is completely out of the question, unless you're completely secluded. If you have anyone with you — maybe to help or just to watch — that, too, is completely out of the question unless y'all are alone, and I mean ALONE.
- age 16, Mississippi
If it's in a sleazy part of town, or late at night at a gas station, sure — stroke away. However, if it's in a bathroom where families might come in, definitely not. I wouldn't want my son exposed to that. I will teach him to do it in a more appropriate place when he gets older.
- age 23, Canada
I really enjoy sitting in a stall in a public restroom and stroking. It's a real turn-on if there are multiple stalls and there's a guy next to me. I'll usually stroke and use a lube so he can hear the sounds of me masturbating. Often, it's only a matter of a few minutes until I hear him join in. I have been in restrooms with 4 or 5 stalls, each of which was occupied by a man enjoying himself. I don't mind if someone wants to watch me through the crack between the stall door and the partition. It's even okay if they are in the stall next to me, there's no one else in the restroom, and they want to bend down and look under the stall to watch me stroking. I think I would find this behavior unacceptable only if there were a youngster in the restroom who was too young to know or understand what was going on — say, younger than 14.
- age 49, Illinois
No — technically, masturbation is a sexual activity, and public sex is frowned upon. Sex, whether with one, two, three, or more people is good, but only if behind closed doors — and preferably, not stall doors.
- age 15, Pennsylvania
It's a private and perfectly reasonable activity to perform in a stall, which itself is a little capsule of privacy in a sea of public life. Is what's being expelled any more "disgusting" than excrement or urine? Are the noises accompanying the act any more embarrassing or rude than those occurring with a gaseous bowel movement? Just out of a sense of dignity, I would think it would be in good taste to be relatively quiet when going at it. The only time it might be impolite might be a time where sexual impulses would be grossly inappropriate, such as in a funeral home.
- age 29, Tennessee
I work in a nursery school, and we were on an outing. I had to take a 4-year-old boy to use the toilet. We got in there and there were only two cubicles, one being used. In this cubicle, there was quite obviously someone wanking in there, due to all the noises going on. I had no choice but to use the other cubicle with the little boy. Luckily, he had no idea what was going on, so I don't see anything wrong with it, although at first I did feel a bit repulsed. It was a toilet, though, and he wanted to use it to wank. Why should it be any of my business? However, if it had affected the child I was with, it would have been a different story altogether.
- age 18, United Kingdom
Semi-public masturbation is fine with me. As long as some level of privacy is expected (a closed stall door, for example), it would be acceptable. I wish masturbation were more open and accepted in the United States.
- age 41, California
I have visited the USA (Florida) just once while on holiday. One thing that surprised me in America was how easy it is to peek into public toilets, even when the door is closed. At home, I have masturbated many times in a public toilet, especially when our school bus gets to the bus station. (The vibration of the old bus nearly always gives me a full erection.) Sometimes my friend goes into the next cubicle and we do it at the same time. We both find this very exciting. However, I would NEVER do this in an American-style restroom!
- age 13, United Kingdom
I have done it only once, but I think it's okay. What can I say? I was a little backed up. Oh, make that twice...Hmm, maybe one or two more times. Anyway, the point is if you are quiet about it, and it is behind a closed door, then perhaps it is not the masturbator with the problem — perhaps it is the peeping tom.
- age 23, Australia