When do you know it's time to start using the womens restroom?

[Cindy]

Practice makes perfect!

I'll qualify - many girls need practice after surgery

[Ms Grace]

...It looks exactly like the men's room, just with more stalls and less urinals...

Hopefully no urinals!!

And you know, that is the one thing that makes all the difference in the world - when I used the lady's for the first time... no wall will a line of guys peeing up against it! It was seriously awesome.

It's not like I hadn't expected it, I think I got my first look at a girls loo block when I was about eight and for some reason my family were briefly visiting my primary school on a weekend, there was no one else around except the cleaner who must have opened the loo blocks, so I snuck a peek. Yep, just cubicles!

But I tell you the result of not having urinals means that the lady's loos smell much much better because there's no gallons of pee stagnating in a trough or whatever. 

[Evelyn K]

uh yah. I was just curious Don't know why it seems so alien to me. I'm sure it'll pass with practice. ("practice" )


You need practice to have a pee?

Cindy truthfully, that's a good point - I do have to practice feminine-like potty training too. That whole sit down thing.

You know what, with this much fear I have about the female restroom, I'll probably wait until the last minute, and then finally running in and shucking my drawers behind me into the stall so maybe I won't care much after-all.

[Cindy]

You can practice that at home! Even if I could stand to wee I don't think I would

[Ms Grace]

...I'll probably wait until the last minute...

Don't do that - the other feature of the women's rest rooms is often the queue to get in!

[Evelyn K]

You can practice that at home! Even if I could stand to wee I don't think I would

Yeah. Hehe.

Was just thinking, god forbid I cough while in loo company. I have a passing voice. But not a passing cough. That might "raise a few eyebrows" lolz.

Trials and tribulations ahead for sure!

[Evelyn K]

Don't do that - the other feature of the women's rest rooms is often the queue to get in!

I'll just pay each person a $1 and rush right in.

[Cindy]

Don't do that - the other feature of the women's rest rooms is often the queue to get in!

I'll just pay each person a $1 and rush right in.

I can tell you ain't been in the queue!!!

[Evelyn K]

I can tell you ain't been in the queue!!!

Welp. With my best sounding baritone voice, "howdy" and a cowboy nod, I'll have to avant-garde my way into the men's room instead.

Male privilege yo!

[Evelyn K]

^^ That's hilarious. I can totally visualize that awkwardness because I felt it today. Give a little extra swagger.

With that in mind, say all the men's stalls and urinals are occupied. Would you just continue standing there? (staring at the men)

Pre-op -- would you use a urinal?

Step right up!

[Evelyn K]

^^ BAHAHHAHAAHA on both counts!

I'm pee-shy as well.

I'd just grab the handle and keep flushing, maybe it'll sound "busy".

[YinYanga]

Sitting down to pee is: sit down to pee, pee, wipe

Nothing hard about it, trust me Ive done it forever

[kelly_aus]

I started using the womens whenever I was presenting as a woman - right from the start.. Never had any problems.

Once, in an emergency, while I was out clubbing at Adelaide's only LGBT club, I ducked in to the mens and was making my way to the hated, but empty urinal, when a rather polite young guy suggested that I was in the wrong place.. The look on his face as I used the urinal was priceless.

Americans and toilets really kill me

Yeah, me too..

[Nala]

The breaking point for me was after going to the cinema with some friends after about seven months of HRT. Up until then I had still been using the male restroom because I didn't want to make a scene or cause trouble to others. But when I tried to go to the male bathroom after the movie, two of my female friends grabbed me, told me I didn't belong there, and actually dragged me, kicking and screaming, into the female one. :'D I figured if it was getting to the point where other girls were uncomfortable with the thought of me using the male bathroom, nevermind guys, then it was probably time to stop. And I never used a male bathroom again. :'D

[Beth Andrea]

I started feeling uncomfortable in the men's room well before I had bewbs...once I started wearing makeup and "showing" more, both I and the men were clearly uncomfortable (this was at work, with familiar faces). I waited until I could change my gender marker on my d/l before I started using the women's room.

I read on here somewhere, "just walk in like you OWN the place", and it's worked for me every time. Once as I was leaving, an older woman remarked "this is the ladies room", and I replied, "Yes. Yes, it is."

[Sabine]

... two of my female friends grabbed me, told me I didn't belong there, and actually dragged me, kicking and screaming, into the female one. :'D I figured if it was getting to the point where other girls were uncomfortable with the thought of me using the male bathroom, nevermind guys, then it was probably time to stop...

This might be a hint, yes. 

[JulieBlair]

I really don't have anything to add except to say that, the first few times in the "Womens" it is scary, then fun, then it just becomes a place to pee.  Look like a girl and nobody much cares.  Tell you what though, I relaxed a lot once my Drivers License said Julie Blair (F)
j

[Hideyoshi]

the biggest thing I'm afraid of is going in to pee and accidentally peeing while standing up 

I still stand up when I pee because I'm like 90% guy mode when I go out to do errands etc., and I find it more of a convenience to pee while standing at home... it's there, might as well use it

I've never been misgendered while I'm in girl mode, but I'm afraid of slipping up in one of the myriad ways one can slip up.

[KimSails]

Evelyn, Since you seem so (understandably) nervous about it, I would suggest a different approach for your first time.  Rather than using the women's while presenting as andro, make a specific effort to go out presenting as female.  That, along with your 5'3 size and long hair, no one will question that you belong in the women's room.  Also, pick a women's restroom that isn't likely to be crowded, like a mall.

Do this a few times and you will see (1) that it is more in your head than anything...and that (2), like Carrie said, the women's room isn't pink and frilly with copies of Marie Claire lying around.  After those first few times I'll bet that you will be far less nervous about using the women's when you find yourself out somewhere, presenting as andro, and really NEED to get to a restroom.

Kim

[Jenna Marie]

For me it was the second time I got a double-take and "this is the men's room!" I figured if unobservant people who *expected* to see only men in there were still startled...

(I agree that small size + long hair = nobody will take a second glance.)