“Inappropriate And Lewd”: Toilet Sign Seen At Kota Kinabalu Restaurant Causes Uproar On TikTok

By Lara Svelte  •  03 Aug 2022 in News

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Normalising sexual harassment is not necessarily limited to rape jokes and downplaying abuse, and netizens believe that this toilet sign is a perfect example of how locals are encouraged to adopt casual attitudes towards lewd behaviour:

@bethanykohImagine how many kids have seen it :/♬ original sound – EX7STENCE™

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In the viral 6-second TikTok video which was posted on July 22, which has earned over 2 million views to date, the person filming zooms in on a toilet sign seen on a pillar.

It looks just like the traditional one, but with a distasteful twist – the male figure appears to be lifting the female’s skirt and bending slightly forward to take a peek.

Curious to know if the eatery was local, netizens queried the TikToker, who confirmed that it was a dim sum restaurant located in Kota Kinabalu, prompting even further disbelief.

Many stated that the sign was disrespectful, unnecessary and crossing the limit, while others noted that children visiting the restaurant may get the wrong idea upon seeing it, sharing similar concerns with the poster who captioned the clip, “Imagine how many kids have seen it”.

Amidst all the rage and frustration, several netizens took matters into their own hands and stormed the restaurant’s public page and social media sites with hateful fake reviews asserting that they had left the restaurant with unpleasant experiences in terms of food quality and hygiene.

The TikToker, in response, pinned a comment in which she urged the public not to commit fraudulent acts as all she wanted was for the sign to be removed.

According to one user, the eatery’s 4.6-star review went down to 1.8 stars, and then 1.5, and now currently stands at 1.3 stars – owed to the mass attention the clip has garnered.

A small handful of netizens did defend the restaurant, saying that no harm was intended and it was just a bit of fun.

Some even assumed that the female figure seemed to be consenting to the act; however, these comments were countered by women declaring that these sexist issues should not be swept under the rug anymore.

Other remarks claimed that the male figure was actually supposed to be “fixing” the female’s skirt, or holding an object to shield her genital area – a mere flaw in the product’s design.

Either way, in retrospect, the confusion and unwarranted infamy the restaurant has earned over the sign is probably not worth it…

What do you think? Is this a harmless joke, or proof that our society endorses sexism by enveloping it with humour?

JUICE has reached out to the restaurant regarding this matter, but no comment has been obtained at the moment.