The owner of a public toilet facility in central Vienna has agreed to remove some urinals that have offended female members of parliament.
The urinals in question are part of a small, privately run complex in a subway near the Opera House. Reasons of hygiene are not in dispute; rather, it is the eccentric design of the conveniences that has caused the fuss. Each of the four urinals resembles a woman's mouth, with the designer even adding front teeth to these damsels in distress.
The offending objects have been in use for some years now, but the issue has only recently been discussed at government level. City councillor Sonja Wehsely described the urinals as 'disgusting, misogynistic and tasteless beyond comparison.'
Nevertheless, Vienna's artistic community have hit back, claiming that the clampdown is an assault on freedom of expression.
The embattled owner of the facility is now obliged to seek a less provocative design if he is to remain in the business. However, although he has agreed to dismantle the current models, he revealed that no men have ever complained about the designs.
The offending items....
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