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Meaning behind the ‘WC’ sign outside bathrooms

Have you ever noticed the letters WC posted outside a public bathroom and wondered what it means?

If so, you’re not alone as people around the world are trying to unravel the mystery of the WC, a space that identifies a room containing a toilet and a sink.

And while we’ll offer you an explanation of the WC, we can’t promise the term will make anymore sense than restroom, bathroom or loo…

In 2020, a couple named Shelby and Dylan shared a TikTok video that revealed a major difference in how some Americans and Canadians do their business.

“What in the world is a washroom?” asks Dylan as he walks by sign that says “washroom.”

“And what are they washing in there? Oh, it’s a restroom. The only thing I wash in there is my hands,” he tells his wife. Off-camera, Shelby can be heard asking: “Do you rest in a restroom?”

Watch on TikTok

“That’s a good point. They both don’t make much sense,” Dylan adds.

Online users jumped into the comments section, offering their opinions on the term they prefer to use for the sacred room. “It’s called a bathroom, restroom, washroom and toilet,” offers one user.

A second follower said when they were visiting Disneyland, they “asked for the washroom” and they “sent me to the laundromat!”

A third adds, “Wait ‘til he finds out about water closets.”

Water closet

According to Mirriam Webster’s Dictionary, “water closet” is a noun that describes “a compartment or room with a toilet” or “a toilet bowl and its accessories.”

Back in the day, when someone would use the bathroom, it was to take a bath. And when a person used a restroom, it was apparently to rest or get ready for the day by using the sink and mirror.

Lastly, if you needed to go potty, you would use the toilet in the water closet. Depending on where you live in the world, the room that holds the porcelain throne goes by various names including the loo, restroom, bathroom, washroom, lavatory or WC.

In modern days, you’ll often see signage indicating WC in public spaces like airports, restaurants, or hotels. It’s just another way of saying “restroom” or “bathroom” but is often associated with a more formal or universal sign in places catering to international travelers.

History of the WC

Before the 19th century in America, indoor toilets were a luxury, reserved primarily for the wealthy. Most people used outhouses or other outdoor facilities for their sanitary needs. While homes often had “bathrooms” for bathing, these rooms typically didn’t include toilets. The widespread installation of indoor plumbing began in the late 19th century, with the advent of the water closet by 1890. These rooms housed the toilet separately from bathing spaces.

It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the modern bathroom, combining both bathing facilities and toilets into one integrated space, became common.

While combining toilets and bathtubs in the same room was a practical solution for saving space and simplifying plumbing, this arrangement did reduce privacy, especially in shared spaces.

Since, the term “water closet” evolved to refer to a small, enclosed room within a larger bathroom, dedicated solely to the toilet. These water closets often include a small sink for handwashing, making them self-contained and convenient.

Attempting to demystify the water closet, online users shared their opinions on Reddit in a post called, “Why is a public WC called bathroom if there is [no] bath?”

Responding to the message, a Redditor writes, “Americans might similarly ask: ‘Why is it called a WC (water closet) if it isn’t even a closet?” the comment continues to explain that a “bathroom” or “restroom” is the “preferred US euphemism for ‘room with toilet,’ whereas other places use ‘WC,’ ‘lavatory,’ ‘loo’ etc.”

“In Russian it’s ‘a room without windows’ even if there actually is a window,” shares a third while another adds, “In Esperanto, it’s necesejo, or ‘necessary place’”

Meanwhile, other Redditors discussed washroom versus bathroom and restroom.

“Canada famously uses Washroom,” says one netizen while another clarifies, “I’m from the midwest, and washroom is fairly common here. Bathroom or restroom are probably used the most though.”

“Best one, I think. You should be washing in there,” adds another. “…not resting.”

What are your thoughts on WC and what term do you call the room that holds a toilet? Please share your thoughts with us and then share this story so we can hear from others!

Mom leaves powerful note on “disrespectful” son’s door

Most grown-ups know that adulting seems deceptively easy when viewed through the eyes of an inexperienced child, and if you don’t, you should take note.

There’s a nicely powered home to live with features like food on the table and unlimited internet use. And how those things got there isn’t nearly as simple as a child might believe.

One mother, wanting to teach her disrespectful son that “nothing comes for free” found a hilarious way to call out the 13-year-old who wasn’t ready for the responsibilities of an adult. Keep reading to learn how this mom used a “real world” lesson to discipline her son!

In 2015, Heidi Johnson was having trouble with her defiant 13-year-old son Aaron, who she writes “wants the perks of growing up without the responsibility that comes with it.”

At the time, Aaron was earning a “teeny tiny bit of money” as a YouTuber and refused to follow his mom’s instructions about completing his homework. The young rebel stormed out of her room and declared “he was a free person” as he was “making money.”

Responding to his behavior, the single mother penned a tough love letter to Aaron and shared it on Facebook, a post that after almost 10 years has gone viral again.

“Since you seem to have forgotten you are only 13, and I’m the parent, and that you won’t be controlled, I guess you will need a lesson in independence,” Johnson begins in the “roommate contract.” “As you threw in my face that you are making money now it will be easier to buy back all the items I bought for you in the past.”

She adds, “If you would like you lamps/lightbulbs or access to the internet, you will need to pay your share of the costs.”

The conditions in the note called for Aaron to pay for rent and utilities, and also required him to cook his own meals and routinely clean around the house.

Johnson then signs off, “Love, Mom.”

Repossession

The mom, who lives in Venice Italy, said when her son saw the note on his door, he crumpled it up, tossed it on the floor and stormed out of the apartment.

The kid just needed some time to think and she needed time to repossess some of the property in his room.

“Once he had time to think about his wrongs, he asked what he could do to start re-earning privileges,” she said, adding that he later collected items from his room that she missed and after giving them to her, he asked what he could do to start earning them back.

“It was never really about having him pay me back; it was to help him gain an appreciation of what things cost. He recognized right away that he couldn’t pay rent, utilities or for food,” she explains.

Hey Folks! If you are even the least bit curious about the background of this letter, here is a link to what lead up to…
Posted by Heidi Johnson on Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Online users jumped into the comments section of her post, praising her creative discipling.

One netizen wrote of the note, “Great Job. Nothing in the agreement is cruel punishment but will teach him a lesson he will carry through life.”

“I know you are not looking for praise nor disapproval but I have to let you know, as a fellow mom, that I think you are an amazing. You gave your son the opportunity to learn and grow,” shares a second.

“Bravo to you for acting like a parent instead of a maid,” writes a third.

‘Real world’

Responding to a handful of users who accused her of publicly shaming her son, Johnson shares another post explaining that she is “not ashamed” of what she wrote.”

“A teenager is going to push their limits” she starts. “They are in that developmental stage where one foot is starting to cross into adulthood, while the other is still firmly planted in childhood…I cannot send this child into college or the workforce with the attitude of ‘I’ll get to it when I get to it’ when a superior tells him to get a job done. That is the real world.”

Johnson adds, “Nothing comes free. Someone is making a sacrifice somewhere down the line.”

What do you think of this mom’s creative parenting style? Please share your thoughts with us and then share this story so we can hear what others have to say!

‘Horrifyingly goofy’ creature washes onto Southern California beach

A sea creature straight out of a nightmare washed up onto the shore of a Southern California beach recently. Its appearance was so ghastly that the images of it posted to Reddit were marked not safe for work.

The original poster shared they discovered the dead marine animal near Dana Point, California, and it was that detail along with the clear photos that helped identify the unsightly organism.

Tim Daly, a California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson, told SFGATE, he agreed with the majority of the comments on Reddit identifying the bloated animal.

It’s likely a dead moray eel, though this particular one “looks a little bleached out from being dead.”

It’s not uncommon to find moray eels living in the water off the coast of Southern California as they are known to live among reefs in shallow water.

Although they are not poisonous nor are they considered particularly aggressive, it’s best to avoid them. If they feel threatened they will bite and use their two rows of razor sharp teeth to latch on.

moray eel. Credit: Reddit — Reddit / ZJM

Redditors who helped identify the eel took much joy in responding to the original post.

“That’s a moray. Go back tonight to confirm. If the moon hits it’s eyes like a big pizza pie that’s a Moray,” one person wrote.

“When the jaws open wide, and there’s more jaws inside, that’s a Moray,” another added.

“When the jaws open wide and there’s more jaws inside, that’s a moray…” someone else chimed in.

I don’t know about you, but I would hate to encounter this creature in the ocean!

Straight, happily married man loves to wear heels and skirts

Mark Bryan is a 61-year-old engineer from Germany who isn’t afraid to challenge gender stereotypes.

While high heels were initially intended for men to add height and fashion in the 10th century, they have obviously become associated almost exclusively with women.

Mark is one of many modern men who are reclaiming the popular type of shoe for those other than those of us who were born female.

Mark Bryan is a 61-year-old father of three who works as a robotics engineer and splits most of his time between fatherhood and work.

To look at him, you would not immediately assume the man has a social media following, but the German native has recently created a stir on the Internet with his bold outfits and images.

Mark recently amassed a following on Instagram of almost 660,000 users with his posts.

His looks often consist of pumps, boots, and skirts. Accompanying his diverse closet items are Mark’s own words, where he speaks out about how normal his clothing practices are.

The engineer believes that clothes should have no gender. He tends to lean towards skirts over dresses so that he can wear more traditionally “masculine” tops above the waist.

Fairly, he believes that items like skirts provide a wider range of variety than the typical slacks or pants most men wear to work.

Mark’s children support his efforts, especially as he raised them with clear communication on the fact that clothes are not indicative of sexuality or gender.

His daughter is one of his biggest fans, waiting for the day that she can borrow some of her father’s clothing items.

Similarly, his wife supports his choices and even helps him pick out outfits.

Not everyone is as understanding, of course.

Mark has experienced a variety of negative comments online and in person, and he must often remind others that they would not be making these comments or asking these questions if he were wearing more traditional pants.

Do you think you would be able to be in Mark’s shoes?

Let us know your thoughts!

This Icon Embraced Aging Naturally & Broke the Record as the Oldest Tony Winner at 90 – See Her Now

This celebrity took on common jobs, like working in a deli, in an attempt to make a name for themselves in Hollywood. She was unaware that she would surpass other actresses to win a highly sought-after award as a result of her tenacity and passion for performing.

Known for her part in the 1996 film “Twister,” this actress has been performing on stage for the majority of her life. An industry icon today, she made

The Path to Stardom for Celebrities

On November 3, 1930, this iconic celebrity was born in Topeka, Kansas. Her father directed biblical plays at a Protestant church in the evenings while working for the telephone company during the day. Acting appeared to be her true calling.

Although she clarified that “they weren’t for entertainment,” she did admit that she enjoyed the plays. The celebrity recalled how much she enjoyed rehearsals and how she knew all the lines when her father needed a stand-in.

After a while, her father gave his youngest daughter her own starring roles and an Old Testament costume. “That was the beginning,” she said, recalling with fondness the delight of performing. She got married when she was eighteen.
She married teacher Wesley Smith, and shortly afterward, they relocated to New York. The actress checked hats at the Russian Tea Room and sliced salami at a deli while she was trying out.

She briefly contemplated changing her name to something more glamorous than the one she currently uses when she got her first acting job. But she concluded it wasn’t worth the hassle.

In the end, she stuck with her married name because it was straightforward, honest, and ideal for her. She continued to prioritize acting over the associated fame.

She achieved a significant milestone in 1955 when she costarred with three young Broadway actresses, including Jayne Mansfield, in LIFE Magazine. “Someone must have gotten the idea to put us all on the cover,” she said, shrugging her shoulders as she considered the opportunity.

She looked directly into the camera while wearing her stage costume, a red dress that was off-the-shoulder, for the photo shoot. Her “pale-faced intensity” was praised by the magazine as Mansfield, wearing a strapless sequin dress, stood behind her.

The actress, who was 25 at the time, was the oldest of the starlets in the photos, many of whom were still in their teens. By 2017, the celebrity had been acting for so long that she meant “the last 25 or so” when she mentioned creating a new line-learning technique in “recent years.”

By then, she was the only star left from that shoot. Her longevity in the business appears to be more the result of an actor’s instinct for taking on new roles than of a well-planned career path. “I don’t think I was ever particularly a planner,” the famous person acknowledged.

She admitted to a journalist that she hadn’t “realized all my stage ambitions” around the time of the magazine cover. She just wanted to play Nina in “The Seagull,” and she wasn’t talking about awards or fame.

The star eventually appeared on Broadway in plays by Sam Shepard, Tony Kushner, Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, John Steinbeck, Harold Pinter, and Bertolt Brecht, in addition to three Chekhov plays. But by the time she played “The Seagull,” she had outlived Nina and was playing the ferocious Madame Arkadina.

Her roles in “Minority Report” (2002) and “Lady Bird” (2017) are also well-known. She decided to age naturally even though she started her career at a time when women’s appearance standards were strict and cosmetic procedures were becoming more popular.

Maintaining Natural Beauty While Collaborating with Other Outstanding
She worried about her age at one point, but not because she was conceited. She left her dark hair that way as she grew older and it turned white on top. “Nature just decided to gray me that way,” she explained, adding, “and I really liked the way it happened.”

Her problem up until that point was that she looked younger than her driver’s license and younger than her actual age. For example, she made her Broadway debut in “Time Out for Ginger” at the age of 22, portraying a 16-year-old drama queen.

A few years later, a director said she didn’t look old enough for one of her character’s lines when she was getting ready for a skit for “The Loretta Young Show.” “Why don’t we say I’m between 15 and 100?” she said.

The actress used the ad-lib in interviews and the skit on-air because she loved it so much. Since her 1952 Broadway debut in “Time Out for Ginger,” which was quickly followed by her film debut in “East of Eden,” she has maintained a steady career on stage and screen.

She worked with well-known theater personalities over the years, and in a 2020 episode of Stagecraft, Variety’s theater podcast, she offered insights gained from those encounters. One such person was the renowned acting instructor Lee Strasberg.

Speaking before starring in Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” and during her Broadway debut in “The Inheritance,” she claimed that observing other actors taught her just as much as acting herself. She made history by receiving a prestigious award that same year.

Creating History

For “The Grapes of Wrath” in 1990 and “Buried Child” in 1996, Lois Smith received her first Tony Award nomination. In a play, both were for Best Featured Actress.

She received her first Tony Award for acting at the age of 90, making her the oldest performer to do so. Lois won the award for her role as Margaret, a caregiver at a shelter for men suffering from AIDS-related diseases, in Part 2 of Matthew Lopez’s epic, “The Inheritance,” which lasted more than six hours.

“I love the processes of the live theater,” she remarked after considering the work. Inspired by E. M. Forster’s novel “Howards End,” she joined the production during its workshop phase while López was still finishing the script.

The famous two-word message from Howards End that E. M. Forster gave us, “Only connect,” she said, “is so appropriate, I think, tonight for all of us who are here celebrating the importance, the functions, of live theater.”

Her performance in the play’s only female role was described as “quietly brilliant” by Ben Brantley of The New York Times. She defeated strong contenders like Annie McNamara and Chalia La Tour for “Slave Play,” Jane Alexander for “Grand Horizons,” and Cora Vander Broek for “Linda Vista.”

The previous record-holder, Cicely Tyson, was 88 years old when she won a Tony Award in 2013 for Horton Foote’s “The Trip to Bountiful.” In an interview with Variety in March 2020, Lois mentioned that she had a relatively light schedule for “The Inheritance.”

She clarified that she only performed three times a week and didn’t go onstage until the end of the play’s two-part run. “I think to myself, ‘Now what’s going to happen to me?’” the actress said.

“This could be the end of me,” she continued. What would I say if someone asked me to perform eight shows a week? Right now, it’s difficult to imagine! Years later, though, she still acted and went to red carpet events. Upon seeing her in her 90s, admirers had nothing but positive things to say.

Continuing to Act and Walk the Red Carpet

For her film “The Uninvited,” Lois made an appearance at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival in 2024. She portrayed the enigmatic intruder Helen at a party in Hollywood. When asked what appealed to her about the role, she said that “a part of complexity and mystery” appealed to her.

The uncertainty of whether her character was sick or something else was at work captivated her. In addition, Lois was asked to advise aspiring actors. Years before, in another interview, she remembered being asked this question.

She gave straightforward advice: “Enjoy yourself and be on time.” An X account used a recent photo and pictures from her early years to commemorate her 93rd birthday in 2023. “Happy 93rd Birthday, Lois Smith!” was the caption. Born on November 3, 1930… Her film debut was in East of Eden, and she has over 140 roles.

Lois Smith’s remarkable career is a testament to tenacity, ardor, and sincerity. Generations of artists and fans worldwide are still motivated by her journey.

The true story about the ‘Angelina Jolie-lookalike’

We’ve written a lot in the past about people who would do anything to achieve their dream look.

Suffice it to say that Sahar Tabar from Teheran has taken things one step further.

The Iranian Instagrammer, who calls herself Sahar Tabar, gained massive online fame and caused quite the stir after sharing some pictures of herself back in 2017. The photos Shahar shared were drastically different from anything you normally see online – and shocked a lot of people.

According to Turkish media, she’s had more than 50 plastic surgeries, as well as lost 90 pounds in order to obtain the look she wants.

More than 400,000 people soon started following Sahar’s transformation on Instagram – and she made sure to keep everyone updated on her progress.

As she became world-famous, a local newspaper wrote that Sahar Tabar had only one dream with her transformation: To look like the actress Angelina Jolie.

But according to Sahar, whose real name is Fatemah Khishvand, that was never her goal. The Angelina rumor was not true; it wasn’t her intention to look like the Hollywood megastar. Others thought Sahar looked like Emily the Corpse Bride, a character in Tim Burton’s stop-motion movie Corpse Bride.

“I had no interest at all to be like Angelina Jolie, and I did not want to look like the character from “Corpse Bride”. I understand that I do have some similarities with them, but I am my own muse and I did not want to look like anyone. That was not my aim,” Sahar told Sputnik News in 2017.

Sahar also said that her photos were a form of art and that she loved playing with makeup and photo editing. Over the years, she has done Rhinoplasty, Botox for lips, and liposuction operations.

Iran has a thriving plastic surgery industry – the country has the highest rate of nose surgery in the world. It’s been very popular with young Iranians for decades, and for Sahar, who dreamed of becoming famous, it was easy to turn to cosmetic surgery for attention. Even though her mom hated it, Sahar persisted in building her Instagram fame.

“I don’t see anything bad in this. It’s simple and many people around the world do it. Here in Tehran the cost of one operation is 10 million Iranian rials ($283),” Sahar said.

She posted one extreme picture after another, and her following only grew. Finally, some of the most prominent newspapers in the world picked up her story, and Sahar became a massive name in her home country.

“People react normally when I appear in the city. They recognize me, call out my name, talk to me and hug me. They support me and I don’t feel any negativity from them,” she said in 2017.

Of course, some were of the opinion that Sahar had gone too far with changing her appearance. Many thought she looked much better before all the surgeries.

“For me the most important thing is to have the acceptance of my family and God. I have those and that is enough for me. Opinions from the rest of the world are not important, I ignore their negativity,” Sahar explained.

But it seems the Iranian regime and lawmakers were less pleased with Sahar and her newfound celebrity status.

In October 2019, she was arrested and put on trial. Her Instagram account was deleted and she was accused of “corruption” and “blasphemy”. In December 2020, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

An Iranian human rights activist, Masih Alinejad, then called out for help.

“Sahar Tabar is only 19. Her joke landed her in jail.

“Her mother cries every day to get her innocent daughter freed. Dear Angelina Jolie, we need your voice here. Help us.”

Then something unexpected happened. After just 14 months, Sahar was released from prison. Right now is a turbulent time in Iran, with widespread protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini. That may have prompted the regime to release Sahar earlier. According to Sahar, the judge had agreed to convert the arrest order into a bail order.

Sahar’s official Instagram account, @sahartabar_official, is still deactivated but there are several other social media accounts that still post old and new pictures of her.

Sahar Tabar after her release from prison / Rokna/YouTube

After being released from jail, Sahar made a TV appearance and showed her natural face. She revealed that she had undergone several cosmetic procedures – but confessed and said that many of the infamous images that made her famous resulted from make-up and editing in Photoshop.

I’m not one to judge others. People are free to be who they want to be and look however they want to be.

In Sahar’s case, it seems there’s a lot more to the story than just some eyebrow-raising pictures, and I really hope she is out of trouble for them now!