The GuardianThe Guardian

The splashback scandal: Should all men sit down to urinate?

By Sam Wollaston

20 Feb 2023 · 8 min read

Editor's Note

Are you a sitter or a stander? The Guardian addresses this question of vital importance and explains why you may want to opt for the former, rather than the latter.

In German, there’s a word for one. Of course there is. In German, there’s a word for everything. But this is an especially excellent word: Sitzpinkler. You can probably guess what it means even if you don’t speak German: a Sitzpinkler is a man who sits to pee.

We have German friends: Flora, Till, their two boys. Flora confirms that the males in the house are encouraged to sit at home, as is common throughout the country. Some German bathrooms have amusing signs reminding men to sit. There’s even a device called a WC-Geist – toilet ghost – that lives under the seat and, when the seat is lifted, orders you to sit down. You can get a WC-Geist with the voice of Angela Merkel. Germany is a brilliant country.

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