Can anyone explain the thinking behind men putting the toilet seat down?

Question

In my family when I was growing up (2 males, 2 females), we all shared a toilet, and my dad and brother put the seat where they wanted (usually up) and mum and I put it where we wanted (down). No issues, no problems.

After I became an adult, I discovered from television and so on that there was like this whole culture of jokes etc based around men not putting the toilet seat down, as if it was something they had done "wrong".

Is there any actual logic behind this idea, and in the real world, do real women care where their toilet seat goes? If so, how on earth does it trouble you?

And where/when did this idea start? Is it an American thing, an urban thing, or a 90s thing?

Um, okay I do get up in the night all groggy and I still remember to put the seat down. If you do it all the time, you just do it automatically, even when half asleep and in the dark.

And surely it is just as annoying for men to have to put the toilet seat up all the time?

I mean, is this just one of those TV things that nobody really does (like couples with twin beds in the 1960s) or does it really happen in real households?

I don't keep my tooth brush or anything else in the toilet - it's just a toilet. Tooth brush goes in the bathroom.

Dog doesn't drink out of the toilet because the door is kept closed. I recommend this as a tip!

Answer 1

Where/when did this idea start?
a. american thing
b. urban thing
c. 90s thing
d. all of the above

Answer 2

I know this isnt a rule, but men do handle their member when they pee.
So, there it is, he'll wash his hands (hopefully).So go ahead and touch the seat before use, and after.
If he puts the seat up, he wont pee on it and give the lady a wet butt. I dont think woman expect to sit on a wet seat, always a nasty surprise for me.( thanks to man peeing in the dark)
Is not a 90's thing. Probably started after indoor plumbing was a household thing.
So if he puts it up, well, then he can put it down.
If I have to put the seat down, then I've contaminated my hand before I've used the toilet.

This is how I won the situation at my house with 3 males. Figure that most everyone has to sit to poop. So thats 2 of 2 for a woman to have the seat down and 1 or 2 for a man's possible preference.So if we each used the toilet twice a day, then the seat would be down 5 times and up 3. Down wins.
Its up to him to raise and lower the seat, he's going to be touching other things anyway.
Yes, it is very gross to sit on cold porcelin or droplets on a seat.
I think a man must concede b/c he is proud of his gas either way, (inviting an intro by pulling his finger, and sometimes without regard to being in public or private). Man often just scratches his clothing in key places no matter who he is talking to or where. And old men close off a nostril lean a bit and force out anything in his other nostril, usually over a sewer but not always. Then theres the matter of spitting, and also spitting out of a moving vehicle.These and other things convince me that man has an abnormal delight or indifference to what comes out of their bodies. (how many delight in having plugged up the toilet and even happy to plunge?)
So we ladies prefer cleanliness. Guys, just put the seat back down. Its 5 to 3 here.

Answer 3

I learned in the Navy to put the seat up for sanitary reasons. When the seat is up it stays dry and helps prevent parasites and germs from growing there.

I think a girl who falls in has no excuse, she should look/feel first. Why does it seem that only girls feel the right to make up rules ?

Besides, if the seat is kept up won't it be kept cleaner. I always clean up any mess, as rarely as that happens. Maybe some guys put the seat down to hide their mess ?

Sexi lesi (posted below): You have no clue ! 20 FEET ! Do you even know how far that is ? That is ridiculous. That is the depth of the average garage ! You are full of it. Besides, fecal matter grows everywhere in the bathroom and the house. Go to Mythbusters site and see for your self. Toothbrushes always have fecal bacteria growing on them no matter what you do according to their in depth testing.

Are you saying that the US Navy doesn't know what it is talking about ? You silly twit !

Answer 4

This comes from the few women who accidentally sit in the toilet because the seat was up and get stuck. This happens because they form a seal around the toilet and a vacuum is created. I have heard stories from my paramedic friends about having to rescue women who were stuck in the toilet.

Answer 5

My fiance and i have talked about this, and neither of us really care. I have to put the seat down when i go in, and he puts the seat up, not much thinking involved unless ive had a little too much to drink. I think its more of a deal for a man not putting the seat down, because hes not sitting to pee no matter what, we are. so if he forgets to put the seat up and pees on it, hes probably not going to clean it up anyway, if he doesnt put the seat down and we dont notice, we fall in the toilet.

Answer 6

Well, some women say that the issue is if they get up in the night and don't notice the seat is up, they might try to sit down in their grogginess and fall in, or bruise their butt on the rim. personally, I've never had that happen and always seem to notice if it's up. But, if it's the woman's own house or apartment, and the boyfriend is visiting, it might be appropriate to request this if she is worried about that. But yeah, I think the joke sort of took on a life of it's own. Most people don't seem to have a problem with it.

Answer 7

I work in a medical field and putting the toilet seat and lid down when flushing keeps germs from spraying during the flush. Keeping the lid and the seat down is more sanitary and men do actually sit for part of the time as well. Plus if you have pets it is not the cleanest watering dish for them to be sipping from.

Answer 8

I hate doing it because it is all nasty and scummy, but I do it anyway because I know that some people hate having the toilet seat up instead of down. It doesn't matter why people feel a certain way about, you just do whatever you can to make them feel comfortable.

Answer 9

I'm a big fan of putting the toilet seat down, since I have nearly fallen in and frozen my tush on more than one occasion. It's quite an alarming experience. Plus there is an additional germ factor if you have to constantly handle the seat, though I suppose men are already dealing with this.

I guess I would mention that both men and women will be requiring the seat down at times, and only men occasionally need it up. So a thoughtful guy puts it down, or tries to remember to, anyhow.

Answer 10

I just kinda forget the whole argument and leave it down. This way i can never be blamed for leaving the toilet seat up. If she doesnt like sitting on pee pee then she can start putting it up or stop complaining about it being left up.

Answer 11

Well, since I live in a house with my wife and 3 daughters (I'm the only male). I put the seat down simply out of fear.
Just kidding. I put the seat down just to be nice. If I forget, some one may end up with a wet butt. My mom tried to teach me to put it down, and I guess it worked.