Vienna resident files discrimination lawsuit over gender-based toilet fees

In Vienna, Melanie Gradik, 27, has taken legal action against the municipal council, asserting that the requirement for women to pay 50 cents to use toilet cubicles, while men can use urinals at no charge, constitutes unlawful discrimination. Her attorney, Petra Laback, contends that the policy violates the city’s anti-discrimination regulations and could influence other Austrian municipalities if upheld. The city maintains that 29 of its 168 public toilets charge a fee to fund attendants needed for high-traffic sites, and that free urinals are provided to deter public urination.

Law professor Anna Gamper argues that the cost differences between cubicles and urinals do not justify the gender-based price gap. The case arrives as Vienna’s coalition government has pledged to expand and potentially make all public toilets free, with recent park facilities serving as a model. The outcome may affect how Austrian cities address gender equity in public amenities.