Q: Should men sit down when they pee? What if they are visiting someone else's home?
A man's decision to urinate standing up or sitting down would be made based on how he was brought up, his culture and his personal preference. There are no hard and fast etiquette rules on the subject.
However, as a wife and a mother of a 13-year-old boy, I have a strong bias toward men sitting down while in the loo, particularly when he is in someone else's home.
While most men swear they have "great aim" into the toilet bowl and never make a mess, studies have shown the contrary.
Putting the seat up doesn't count either, especially if he forgets to put it down.
Then there is the noise that comes from the waterfall plunge. If you're a guest in someone's home and the bathroom is located near the dinner table, I would advise against making a big splash when everyone can hear you. Instead, be quiet in the bathroom and take a seat.
_ Aimee Symington, etiquette expert, facilitator and speaker
Males generally like being able to pee standing up.
In fact, many come to see urologists when they no longer can pee standing because they have lost the force of stream necessary.
In a private residence at a friend's house, any male should be considerate if he sprays a bit and contaminates the toilet seat. So yes, it is perfectly fine to sit, if for no other reason than one is less likely to cause a mess.
I have seen many older male patients being dragged into my office by their ears by their wives, the principal complaint being, "My husband is messing up the bathroom with this spraying of urine." In those situations _ frequently due to myopia or a tremor _ I suggest the gentleman sit.
As urologists will tell anyone: Be courteous, aim well, flush and put the toilet seat down.
_ Dr. Gregory Bales, professor of urology at University of Chicago Medicine
