Of designer urinals and misogynist incidents

The SMH reports

A Sydney restaurant is removing urinals shaped like women's mouths and has apologised for causing offence.

The two urinals, in the shape of bright red, wide-open lips, were installed in the French restaurant Ananas in Sydney's Rocks area.

They formed part of Sydney Morning Herald critic Terry Durack's review of the restaurant in yesterday's Good Food.

The restaurant said the urinals were "a commonly used European design piece from female Dutch artist Meike van Schijnde" but would be removed.

"We sincerely apologise if they have caused offence. They are being removed today," a spokeswoman said in a statement.

Hardly the crime of the centuary. 

A spokeswoman for the interior design company that selected the items for the restaurant described them as "playful".

 

Actually tacky springs to mind.

Feminist publisher Anne Summers said interior design was not an excuse for misogyny.

"Misogyny is very widespread, and this is just an example of misogyny," she said.

"The concept is pretty challenging and confronting.

"They're asking men to put their d---- in these mouths as urinals."

It's not the first time designer urinals have caused controversy.

In 2006 four urinals shaped like women's lips designed by Austrian artist Rudolf Scheffel were taken away from public toilets near the National Opera in Vienna after protests from women's groups.

They were later sold on eBay.

Meredith Burgmann, founder of the annual Ernie Awards for sexist comments, described the urinals as "schoolboy grubbiness".

Isn't hypocrisy hilarious.  Schoolboy's are grubby. Meredith STFU. 

But she said she wasn’t surprised, given the recent "outpouring of misogynist incidents".

I guess that is a dig at Tony Abbot leader of the Australian Federal Opposition however it is a fail as any objective person observing Australain politics would be well aware.

Hat Tip Whale