Urinal shaped like woman's mouth removed

By Pat Hewitt, The Canadian Press

A urinal shaped like a woman's wide-open mouth has been flushed out of the men's room of a Hamilton eatery following a nearly year-long public outcry.

The glossy, red-lipped loo at The Honest Lawyer restaurant sparked a letter writing campaign that attracted almost 1,100 people, including Ontario's NDP leader and Hamilton's mayor.

Some people argued the "Kisses! urinal" ? manufactured by Bathroom Mania! in the Netherlands ? was art or just a joke.

The Woman Abuse Working Group, a coalition of 24 organizations, disagreed and led efforts to oust what it considered to be an offensive water closet.

Lenore Lukasik-Foss, chairwoman of the group, said Monday she's "shocked, excited and thrilled" that it's gone.

"It's not a joke to pee into a woman's mouth," she said.

The group was concerned about women's safety and the message the urinal, which had been there since the restaurant opened in February 2007, sent to men in the bar.

"They're drinking and maybe hoping to connect with a special person and then they're going to the bathroom and peeing into a woman's mouth," said Lukasik-Foss, who's also director of the Sex Assault Centre.

"Granted it's sort of a cartoonish version, but still it's clearly a woman's mouth."

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, who had sent a letter to owner Greg Sandwell asking him to consider the outcry from women's groups, said she was pleased it had been removed.

"It was something that was causing a great deal of concern around the Hamilton area," said Horwath, who represents the riding in which the restaurant is located.

"I've been to the Honest Lawyer with many different people, including men, and nobody ever gave me the heads up."

Sandwell could not immediately be reached for comment.

On its website, the manufacturer says "'Kisses!' transforms a daily event into a blushing experience."

It also adds: "This is one target men will never miss."

Meike van Schijndel said in an email from Holland that she devised the design for an art school project, and lots of men and women like the "cartoonish looking mouth."

"The thought that this urinal only represents a man peeing in a woman's mouth never even occurred to me while making it," said van Schijndel, who added interpretation of her work lies in people's imaginations.

"Luckily for all those women who feel offended, they will never run into a 'Kisses' at a restroom."

While the designer defends the urinals as sensual art, a complaint led a McDonald's outlet in The Netherlands to remove them in 2006. The complainant was an American who saw her work in a magazine, not in real life, said van Schijndel.

The designer said a "bad" copy of her work was removed from a public washroom near Austria's national opera in Vienna in 2006 after complaints from politicians.

In 2004, Virgin Airways apologized and ditched plans to install a pair at its lounge at New York's John F. Kennedy airport after the National Organization for Women called them "degrading."

This was definitely a piece of art.

It is provocative and useful - very symmetrical. I liked it.

While on the subject of places to go - there was a place downtown, one of the drinking hotels - think it's closed now *oh yeah - the Laff (Lafayette). They had to have the hugest urinals around. It was great. You could just stand there and aim forward (anywhere) and you couldn't miss.

Oh yeah - I dislike interest groups. They never represent my interests.

I also thought is was a "unique" piece of art, and did not find it offensive.

I thought it was pretty cool. Us guys wouldn't object to a man's face/lips as a toilet seat in the ladys' loo!!! Special interest groups need to stop taking themselves so seriously. Gimme a friggin' break!

I think urinals are overrated.

What are you feelings on bidets?:fes:

Invented in France, and I believe a great invention. Can be used by both genders.

Users who are unfamiliar with bidets often confuse a bidet with a urinal, toilet, or even a drinking fountain. It is generally understood that the user should sit on a bidet facing the tap and nozzle for washing the genitalia, and should sit with back to the tap and wall when washing the anus and buttocks.

A much better device then a urinal, everyone should have a bidet at home as opposed to a urinal. Much safer to use then toilet paper.

"Interest Groups" are generally only interested in turning molehills in mountains.

"Interest Groups" are generally only interested in turning molehills in mountains.

The fight against <insert cause here> is the sole existence of the group. Once <insert cause here> is eradicated the group is no longer needed, ergo <insert cause here> will never be resolved.

Granted good work is being done too. Lets not discount that!