A few weeks ago, my part of the neighborhood got a little brighter when "The Shack," a new breakfast and lunch restaurant, opened up on Clayton Road in Ballwin, Missouri. On Sunday morning, my friends and I decided to indulge, and try out the new place for breakfast. The wait was over thirty minutes, so naturally, my expectations were high. They were met. There were over twenty unique breakfast choices, breakfast smoothies, and great lunch options. I was thoroughly enjoying my time there, until I went to the bathroom.

The bathroom was not just labeled "Men" and "Women," but the doors were decorated with "Bla" and "bla bla bla bla." To some, this was just a joke, a funny way of "depicting" the difference between men and women via bathroom door. Because, after all, men never talk and women never stop blabbing, right? My first thought when I saw these doors was, "Why"? Why, The Shack, are you purposefully perpetuating the false stereotypes of men and women? Will a talkative man be suddenly confused when he encounters these doors? Or will he know for sure which one he belongs to because society has been telling him all his life that men are quiet and don't share feelings. That's just the way they are. Oh haha, is this a joke because women go to the bathroom together and talk? HAHA! Wait, that's soo funny. No. What about the children who encounter these doors? Old enough to read, but not yet old enough to understand why innocent breakfast places can contain subtle sexist messages?

"Mommy, why do those doors say that? Which one do we go into?"

"Well, Sally, we're women, and we encounter unwanted sexism like this every day of our lives. You're just going to have to get used to it. And stop asking questions, we'll be told we're complaining and being naggy."

Hey, here's an idea. Let's not be sexist. Sexism is so intricately and blatantly worked into our everyday lives. Let's not have our first conversation about sexism with our young daughter be at a flippin' family-friendly breakfast restaurant.

Yeah... these sexist doors pissed me off, and some might say I am being sensitive or overreacting, but if a man complained about these doors, I'm sure action would be taken and the paint would be removed. Its a man's world and we're just living in it, right?

NooOOOooooOOoo.