Unfiltered Story #214142

I suffer from an invisible disability. Because I’m relatively able-bodied, I tend to use the regular bathrooms as often as possible. On bad days, I use the disabled stall.

The stalls in my area tend to be button-open, button-lock. You push the open button, it opens the door. On a timer, the door shuts automatically, then you can press the ‘lock’ button. I walk into the disabled stall and wait for the door to close. Just as it touches the frame, and I reach to touch ‘lock’, the door swings open again! Weird. I wait for it to close again – again, it swings open!

I look outside to see if something is the matter. A woman is standing there smirking at me. It’s pretty clear that she’s been pressing the ‘open’ button so I can’t lock the door or use the loo.

Woman: Serves you right! You shouldn’t be using that toilet!

Me: *stunned* Not all disabilities are visible, ma’am.

Woman: *snorts* You kids are all lazy, and it takes the stall away from people who actually need it! You should be ashamed!

(By now, reality has caught up to me and I’m angry. I look her up and down – she has a shopping cart, so probably wanted to use the disabled stall herself)

Me: I should be ashamed? *You* should be ashamed! I could have epilepsy and need a larger stall in case I seize! I could have a degenerative disorder! I could be profoundly claustrophobic or have a sensory disorder! And you’re standing here opening the bathroom door again and again like some sick pervert to teach me – what? How much it *sucks* to be young and have a disability? Congratulations, lady, mission accomplished!

I have gotten loud – people are staring. The woman goes bright red and I grab the door (she’s still holding the open button) and use brute force to get it into its door jamb, then lean on the door until it stops trying to open and I can lock it. Outside, I can hear random bystanders begin to scold the woman, who seemed to leave pretty quickly. I was finally able to use the loo!