Back to topics

Who can use a city when public toilets are hard to access?

A public toilet can be physically present yet difficult for someone to use. Its layout, privacy, and other users' reactions can determine whether it provides meaningful access. A firsthand account of navigating gendered restrooms connects one person's experience with broader questions about design and inclusion.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • How can a public toilet be physically present yet unusable for a particular person?
  • How do layout, privacy, and social expectations affect who feels safe using a facility?
  • What evidence from different users would help evaluate a proposed inclusive redesign?

Start reading

  • 99% InvisibleWhere Do We Go From Here?

    Combines a firsthand account with interviews about gendered restrooms, disability access, and inclusive architectural design. It illustrates particular barriers and proposals rather than measuring every kind of toilet access.

Ready to try your ideas aloud?

Your topic carries over. Record up to 2½ minutes, depending on your plan.

Cities and transport

From raw water to the drinking-water tap

Clear river water is not automatically safe to drink. Many surface-water treatment plants use a sequence of coagulation, settling, filtration, and disinfection, with each stage tackling different hazards. The exact treatment depends on the source water and the contaminants the utility needs to remove.

4–5 min

From raw water to the drinking-water tap

Cities and transport4–5 minClear river water is not automatically safe to drink. Many surface-water treatment plants use a sequence of coagulation, settling, filtration, and disinfection, with each stage tackling different hazards. The exact treatment depends on the source water and the contaminants the utility needs to remove.

Cities and transport

How can three words identify a three-meter square?

A street address can identify a house but struggle with a park entrance or a remote rescue location. The what3words system assigns three-word addresses to a worldwide grid of three-meter squares; open alternatives such as Plus Codes encode locations with letters and numbers. Comparing the systems raises practical questions about reading a location aloud, confusing similar codes, and depending on a proprietary service.

3–5 min

How can three words identify a three-meter square?

Cities and transport3–5 minA street address can identify a house but struggle with a park entrance or a remote rescue location. The what3words system assigns three-word addresses to a worldwide grid of three-meter squares; open alternatives such as Plus Codes encode locations with letters and numbers. Comparing the systems raises practical questions about reading a location aloud, confusing similar codes, and depending on a proprietary service.

Cities and transport

How does a canal lock lift a boat without lifting machinery?

A boat inside a lock rises when the water around it rises. By filling or emptying the enclosed chamber, a conventional lock brings the boat to the level of the next stretch of canal. The gates contain the water; they do not hoist the boat.

3–5 min

How does a canal lock lift a boat without lifting machinery?

Cities and transport3–5 minA boat inside a lock rises when the water around it rises. By filling or emptying the enclosed chamber, a conventional lock brings the boat to the level of the next stretch of canal. The gates contain the water; they do not hoist the boat.

Who can use a city when public toilets are hard to access? | Speech Topic | speaking.app