I love Beijing for its rich history and culture, and for its amazingly friendly people. I love it because I have spent a chunk of my life here since I arrived at the old airport in 1993. And I love it so much because I am able to find a loo easily.

As a male, my visit to the loo takes about four minutes but for my female friend, it takes about eight. Alas, some part of my privileges in Beijing are about to end.

My brilliant but feisty aunt (long dead) once told me when I was young that the only reason she would want to be a man in her reincarnation was that she (as a "he") would be able to stand in front of a urinal and do the needful. Alas, for men, this old privilege is about to expire, at least in Beijing.

A leading Chinese newspaper in Beijing reported that, "some cafes, restaurants and bars in Beijing have posted signs designating public toilets that can be used by anyone regardless of gender" and that the placards now also include a figure "with half dress and half trousers."

Of course! Why did this idea not occur earlier to Beijing's restaurants, cramped as they are, to turn their only toilet into a gender neutral one? This will solve the problem of limited space, and also position them on the edge of fashion, tolerance and liberalism.

This reminded me of some airlines telling me to go to the washroom before boarding to save water later when the plane is in the air, thus reducing their fuel costs. The move also repositioned them as "environment-friendly." This clearly illustrates killing two birds with one stone, and making money off of it.

Most small restaurants, bars and cafes in Beijing have only one small washroom, often without urinals.

But will this trend catch on with huge university campuses, big hotels, large shopping malls, and metro stations? And what will happen to the urinals for men?

Surely women will object to men taking out their appendages and relieving them in full view?

And if urinals go, will we finally see men queuing up, like my female friend does (and laments) when she has to "go" in a hurry?

I hope my aunt is not reincarnated. Otherwise, she will be so disappointed.

God bless her soul (though I wonder what the washrooms look like in heaven).

This article was published on the Global Times Metropolitan section Two Cents page, a space for reader submissions, including opinion, humor and satire. The ideas expressed are those of the author alone, and do not represent the position of the Global Times.