At first glance, the unusual fixture in this photograph looks like a toilet that was designed incorrectly. It has a long, open bowl, no traditional toilet seat, and a large chrome flushing mechanism mounted directly above it. But the unusual shape is actually intentional. This is not an ordinary toilet. It is a historical women’s urinal, a specialized bathroom fixture designed to allow women to urinate without sitting directly on a conventional toilet seat.
The fixture is associated with the American Standard Sanistand, a design that became available in the United States during the middle of the 20th century. Unlike a standard residential toilet, the Sanistand was designed around a different posture and method of use. Instead of sitting down, the user would position herself over the fixture while urinating. The porcelain bowl was shaped to guide the urine toward the drain, while the flushing mechanism helped keep the fixture clean after use.
One of the main ideas behind this unusual design was hygiene. Public restrooms have always presented concerns about cleanliness, especially when many people share the same facilities throughout the day. A conventional toilet requires the user to come into close contact with the seat, while a women’s urinal was intended to reduce that contact. For crowded public bathrooms, transportation facilities, schools, hospitals, workplaces, and other high-traffic locations, the concept offered an interesting alternative to traditional restroom fixtures.
The shape of the bowl is the biggest clue that this isn’t a normal toilet. A conventional toilet has a relatively compact bowl designed to support a seated person. This fixture has an elongated front section that creates a different position for the user. The open design also eliminates the need for a traditional toilet seat, which was one of the main features of the concept.
The idea may sound modern, but it is actually decades old. During the mid-20th century, bathroom manufacturers experimented with specialized plumbing fixtures designed to improve sanitation, efficiency, and convenience. The Sanistand was one of those experiments. It was marketed as a dedicated fixture for women and was intended to provide an alternative to using a conventional toilet for urination.
So why didn’t these fixtures become common in homes and public bathrooms?
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