Woman sues city over 'discriminatory' toilet fees

A Viennese woman is taking legal action against the city council for allegedly discriminating against women by charging them to use public toilets, while men can access free urinals. Melanie Gradik, 27, claims she was charged 50 cents (R9.34) to use a cubicle in a park, despite her friend being able to use a urinal for free. Gradik argues that the unequal treatment of women in everyday life is unacceptable, stating that either everyone should pay or no one should.

Her lawyer, Petra Laback, points out that the existence of free urinals for men creates inequality between the sexes, as women are forced to pay for access to public toilets. If the case is successful, it could set a precedent across Austria. Currently, Vienna has 168 publicly managed toilet facilities, with 139 being free to use.

The 29 facilities that charge a fee do so due to the need for attendants in busy locations. Law professor Anna Gamper contends that the distinction between men and women in this context lacks a special, objective justification, and questions the equality of the system. Women in Austria already face several additional costs, such as paying for menstrual products and more expensive cosmetics.

The city of Vienna's representative for women's issues, Elke Hanel-Torsch, is part of the coalition agreement that pledged to expand public toilet provision and examine the possibility of making them free for everyone. The Augarten park, which opened new public toilets in 2025, provides a potential model for the future, offering free use of accessible toilets designed to blend into the historic Baroque park.