Getting your rightful seat
As I head out of the country for a late-summer getaway, I thought I’d share a quick observation.
When we arrived in Valencia several years ago, we trooped down en masse to the Ayuntamiento. We went there to do the census or padrón (Empadronamiento). This is the process whereby we tell the municipal government who’s living in its city and where.
So we duly filled out the paperwork. As a sidenote, it needs to be updated every two years for foreigners and others. I first noticed Spain’s paternalistic past when I, as the father, was singled out. I was the prime name on the form. My wife and child were ancillary.
“OK,” I thought, “That’s different from the U.S.” Yes, male chauvinism exists in the States. At least we try to pretend it doesn’t exist. I know, privilege and all that. You don’t think you’re the beneficiary of this. It is supplied without the asking.
As an upside, it does make official tasks easier because I can interact with officials without dragging everyone along. My presence and say-so seems to work in most cases.
Even I can see the difference at times
But here’s the kicker. I don’t hang around the women’s restrooms. Though, at a glance, I noticed a disparity between the men’s and women’s facilities. This involves the number of fixtures available for use. In this case, the men’s side had two urinals and two stalls. The women’s – or should I write the woman? – had one toilet behind her door.
Anticipating the question, I noted there were a number of women among the restaurant’s clientele the day I visited. It is not a guys-only business.
Yes, I know, it’s costly to retrofit the plumbing into a more equitable layout, but really? I’ve seen this situation at least one other location. Mostly, it’s the rural restaurants or those in small villages. I suspect that in the city proper, the establishment is remodeled or updated regularly. It is one of the things that is brought up to code.
But for those traveling through the Spanish countryside, it’s best to expect longer waits for the loo. This depends on your needs. There is a possibility of a wait longer than usual.
Oh, by the way, referring to “la mujer” is considered acceptable when talking about the wife. Though to my ears, “the woman” sounds somewhat dismissive. But then again, nouns in Spanish have genders, so I guess that’s a feature, not a bug.
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