Women and Toilets

After being in Amman for over 6 months-OH MY GOD-I have come to the conclusion that once a woman leaves the house/office/bar/restaurant, she has not choice but to hold 'it' in till she gets to the next destination. I am being serious. I have had two such experiences during my time here.
The first one was a few months ago, me and two male friends of mine were downtown walking around-one was visiting from Jerusalem-anyho, we ended up in Jordan Bar-very old, and very nice place do check it out-and after drinking a few beers I started to need the lou. So we look around and what I find is a bright red curtain and over it a sign saying: TOILET. So one of my male friends goes and comes back to tell me that I should just hold it in, since the only thing standing between me and the world 'seeing me' is that curtain. I put a brave face on, and hold it in...after nagging my two friends into submission we leave the place. We are on our way home, when they decide that a bottle of wine would be perfect-think we were heading to a party or something-and so they stop and start BROWSING for wine.
At this point we are few seconds from my house and my bladder knows it! And like all these situations, the urge to go increases by 100%. I rush into the petrol station-yes a PETROL STATION-and ask for the toilet. The men all look at each other, and say: Mit2akhed? I just look at them, while I jump from one leg to another...and one points to the back room. THANK GOD THE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING...I don't think I would have gone to the toilet if I had seen the dirt that was on this toilet. After finishing my deed, I walked out and smiled at the men...who all looked at me shyly. I went home and washed my hands in dettol.
You would think I had learned my lesson...bas no...this is Lulwa!!!!
So yesterday I was in Amigo watching the Arsenal vs Real Madrid match, enjoyed myself, and then was heading home with a friend of mine-male-and we stop at Thawaq-great sandwiches-and I again get the urge to go to the toilet...so I look around and find none at this take away place...bas the old man is so nice and so I ask him for the toilet. They are like we have the keys to the upstairs toilets, but where is the guy you came in with...I look at them strangely and ask Why? They say that he should come along and stand outside! I answer with, well you have the key I can lock the door...bas NOOOOOOOOOOOO...so add humiliation to an already uncomfortable situation, I had to go up to my friend and ask him to guard my toilet door...he of course didn't understand why he had to come, bas complied-bless his heart-and so I am in the toilet (which was Arabic style, bless the lord) and he is outside waiting by the stairs...lol!
Don't worry I didn't' eat the sandwich till I got home and used dettol again!
So the moral, we need public toilets, that are clean and that women can use.
And now a Lulwa logic statement:
This is just another way to keep women indoors and not allow them to participate in the public life of this country!