I am always surprised when I see other sociologists easily able to recognize anti-woman images or objects, but brought to a standstill by images like this one - which, given their shape, seem to suggest pregnancy as well as the image of Mary (or perhaps a nun).

American culture has become very comfortable with a variety of images that mock Catholicism. If you can imagine a urinal that somehow incorporated the Star of David, you can imagine the outrage it would (rightly) evoke. But, somehow, anti-Catholic images are "just a joke" that Catholics are expected to shrug off. The images are found in toys, greeting cards, and all over the place. There are enough of them that they could easily be a category of sociological images themselves. But most people don't notice.

Of course, I do, because I'm a member of the target group. And - as sociological theory would predict - I don't usually speak up for fear of being considered odd, or told that I lack a sense of humor. All arguments that are so obvious to everyone when made about images that demean women.

Thanks for at least letting me post these thoughts.

The nuns represent ultimate virginity and unattainability. Urinating on/in a woman, especially if pregnant, is on the other end of the spectrum in "depravity". To have such control over something where one can piss on it is the antithesis of the pedestal that many hold nuns/pregnant women/women to.

If the richest (and for many purposes, most populous) nation in the world consisted of Protestant Jews or Muslims analogous images would be seen. However there has been no Jewish or Muslim Luther.

Part of the fun of such "blasphemies" is how offended people get. Something so innocuous causing such trouble in the minds of some is humorous.

As a man, I would just like to say I would be utterly unable to pee in any of these.

As a woman, Dubi, so would I.

As to the nuns, if they were just ridiculing Christianity why didn't they use the image of Jesus Christ? - here's why: all these images have one thing in common - misogyny. The "nun" could also be the image of Mary, mother of God. And that any woman would be considered holy or revered is of course, in the eyes of patriarchy something to be defiled.

I know I'm fairly behind commenting on this one, but I have actually been in a bar with urinals like the one featured in the first picture. Amazingly, it didn't strike a chord with me at the time (unusual as I'm normally quite observant as a feminist), possibly because it was in a gay bar (that I can't remember the name of) in Brighton, UK. I imagine if it had been in a sleazy bar marketed towards heteosexual men, I would have been disgusted, but with it being in a gay bar I viewed it in more of a "campy" context. On reflection, I'm still not sure how I feel about it - at best I'm (very) uncomfortable with anything that reinforces the idea that any female orifice is solely for male use.

GOOD COLLECTION OF URINALS, WHICH I AM LOOKING FOR MY HOUSE/ HOTEL. PLEASE SEND CATALOGUE TO MY E-MAIL ADDRESS #arunkumar1959@rediffmail.com

Nuns are hilarious and generally deserve to be ridiculed. And I say this as a woman and a Roman Catholic.

I think these are all ridiculously offensive and inappropriate. There is something wrong with men in the world today - something very, very, very wrong. The only one that deserves to be kept in any context is the one with the women gaping at the non-well-endowed men. That's at least real.

These kinds of things make me sad and disgusted at the depravity of men.

Quiet bitch

@moomoo seriously . . thats not offensive its funny. im a girl an i think its hilarious ! chill out :D

While late, there are two things to consider:
1. The lips urinal (titled Kisses!) was created by a woman - Meike van Schijndel
2. She is Dutch.

It doesn't always have to be Americans; in fact I'd be surprised to find something like this in many places in the US what with our puritanical tendencies. Sexuality, while common, is taboo, hence our burgeoning internet porn culture. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you don't tell people about it, John Proctor. No, people here love to complain about whimsically harmless things. Would I want one in my home? Certainly not, but it does add some color to an otherwise mundane activity; shouldn't you enjoy the little things? When you you examine it, life is comprised of a series of innocuous occurrences strung together to comprise something of greater importance (maybe) - if you don't learn to appreciate the mundane without finding fault, what does that say about our existence? I cannot seriously fathom anyone actually using one of these and then deciding, based on that experience, that he wants to recreate the activity with a real woman. R Kelly's urination on women was likely independent of the existence of these toilets; he doesn't seem like the world traveling, worthwhile experience gaining type. These toilets are harmless (even the red bat one with teeth), unlike the crusades or misplaced values enforced while raising children.

these urinals are pretty sick, but its not a reason to ban urinals...its a reason to not patronize a hotel or business that has such things. In a free society you dont dictate what ammendments people can place on their private property. You organize a boycott and bring awareness to it ...ask that they be removed.

I realize in europe you have slid into this orwellian type of paranoid society, but you must snap out of it. If you dont you kids will be living under horrible conditions. Every time I read a story fr europe I feel like im in the twilight zone,,,this Anti-social behavior thing that yr all obsessed with ,,,is so twisted ,,,you look at teens that throw trash on the ground and smoke ciggarettes as criminals...and you treat them with distain,,,you have created a self fufilling prophecy...its very strange...and youre obsessed with any little thing like a man photographing his kids is accused of being a pedophile,,,parks where parents cant even watch their own kids,,,,its crazy,,,and cameras are everywhere,,,,from the outside looking in you get the feeling everyone is brainwashed,,,,id rather be dead then live that way,,,,government is not supposed to keep you safe,,,their job is to protect borders and defend fr outside attacks,,,not to police your behavior...you are taking infants away from good parents for no good reason,,,its very sick,,,,when you give governmen t this kinf of power over your lives youve sold yourself and yr kids into slavery,,,Freedom is dying and europe is leading the way,,,they are leading democracy into the grave.... PLEASE STOP

시발 ㅋㅋㅋ

"when you give governmen t this kinf of power over your lives youve sold yourself and yr kids into slavery,,,Freedom is dying and europe is leading the way,,,they are leading democracy into the grave…. PLEASE STOP"

Europe in reality is nothing like what you have constructed in your mind. Try visiting some time.

OMG wow~ thats kinda disturbing

Its funny how women are easily offended by things that are meant to be funny. If its so "offensive" then why don't you have someone place sinks with penis heads in your restrooms if you wanna get even so bad.

I think the reason that some people think these are funny and others not is because humour more often than not is at the expense of someone, or their ideals. I'm not saying this is right or wrong but that is somehow where the comedy sometimes springs from and this can lead to disagreement.

what were we talking about...

still waiting on the zombie apokolypse

The lips look more like Mick Jagger lips to me. As for the whole idea of body parts being used, it is repulsive and downright stupid!

Absolutely horrifying. Really says a lot about women's value in our society

I wouldn't be so quick to say that those are women's mouths; the only time I've seen those in person was at the local drag club. They kind of remind me of Divine and the sort of camp/filthiness that she came to represent.

A funny idea would be to fashion a urinal shaped like a bear trap.  Or to put in a urinal in Disney World (land) shaped like Pluto.

I find this funny.  I think that since men's urinals are "open" in the bathroom, it's possible for this to exist.  I don't think you'd find women's stalls having toilet humor as such, although I would love to see it -- nothing like a woman sitting down (or hovering, as the case often is) on "santa's lap" or something.

While there are issues in this world, I personally don't think these are part of it.  

What does the "fail" notation in the last photograph represent?  I don't understand why what is depicted here is considered an internet meme "FAIL".  Can someone help me on this?

first world problems

The mansplanation, it burns. 

Why is the default avatar picture for comments, a man's silhouette?  

Surprised no one has posted this before
http://www.cracked.com/video_18180_does-not-compute-worlds-most-horrifying-toilets.html

It has a few examples of male shaped toilets/urinals (a clown, George Bush and two male figures).

Can you please put a trigger warning on this one and make it so that you can't see the images? I really wish I had never seen them. (31 year-old, for what that's worth)

I think these are rather funny.  I would feel a little awkward just washing my hands though.  :)  lol

here's a hotel in china that has urinals of japanese soldiers

http://kotaku.com/5895117/chinese-hotel-lets-people-pee-in-japanese-soldiers-mouths 

I wonder if these are mostly found in strip joints and whorehouses. Because it would explain the egregiousness and callousness of the sexism. Because whorehouses.

Just a few thoughts: 1. Could we have some context like where these urinals are? Are they in a bar? A Rolling Stones themed anything? An adult only or all ages place? I'm not saying any of these justifies these urinals, but I do think some context might change the reading and thus is important. 

2. The sinks don't necessarily have to be in a men's restroom. If they were in a place that women were present, I believe there would be a bigger uproar because there would be an issue with making a public space unfriendly to women. This leads me to the question is it okay to put up images that many women are uncomfortable with as long as it's in a place that they won't see?
3. As to the comments: There is no winners in sexism. Sexism disadvantages women AND men (albeit in different ways). Similarly, sometimes women promote sexism, and sometimes men are against sexism. So can we please, please get away form this men vs. women bs? The men vs. women thing is unproductive and derailing. 

OK...this would get boring in real life...real quick. Except for the genuinely perverted....

This made me sad (as a female).

This makes me wet.

Very sexy and adds a new decoration to an otherwise boring place.