A controversy shakes McDonald's in Brazil, where it is criticized for having shared toilets for all sexes to the chagrin of the conservatives, while the fast-food giant thought it was offering
"inclusive"
toilets
.
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It all started with a video of a customer in the toilets of a McDonald's in Bauru, a city in the state of Sao Paulo, in the south-east of the country, showing individual cubicles, but with a shared entrance and sinks. .
"Children are using these toilets!"
, the Brazilian is indignant in this video which has become one of the most commented this weekend in Brazil on social networks.
"It's communism in Bauru, a shame
.
"
There followed outraged reactions from elected conservatives criticizing the fast food chain.
Faced with the controversy, the mayor seized on the case.
"The Health Vigilance went on site and found that the health standards of the municipality had not been met"
, announced in person on Twitter Suellen Rosim, the mayor of Bauru.
McDonald's has two weeks to comply, at the risk of seeing its restaurant closed:
"The toilets must be separated and identified, one for each sex,"
insists the town hall.
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McDonald's reacted in a statement by assuring to have
"adopted individual cabins"
in its restaurants for the sake of
"inclusion and respect"
, so that
"all people feel welcome to use them"
, regardless of their birth sex. .
The chain ensures
"to be in contact with the authorities"
so that its restaurants are brought up to standard.
Gender issues are particularly sensitive in Brazil since the arrival to power three years ago of the far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, familiar with sexist or homophobic slippages.