We mustn't forget that everything that exists in society today—the weekend, the traffic light, the nutrition label, everything!—is because someone at some point designed it—or fought for it—to be that way. The tale of CEPTIA is a great example of this: <1/8>
In 1970, after being disturbed seeing pay toilets at a Pennsylvania Turnpike restaurant, high schooler Ira Gessel & three classmates founded the Committee to End Pay Toilets in America. Their goal: "to eliminate pay toilets in the U.S. through legislation & public pressure."<2/8>
"When a man's or woman's natural body functions are restricted because he or she doesn't have a piece of change," Gessel insisted, "there is no true freedom." <3/8>
They started a newsletter, "The Free Toilet Paper," published how-to guides for local lobbying and soon grew to 1,500 members and 7 chapters. They even gave out awards for those who helped establish free toilets in their area: https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/lost-history-how-four-kids-from-dayton-ended-pay-toilets-america/lt9zXTT0eVybTealN7rroO/ <4/8>
Asked how they found time to do it, Gessel told the Dayton Daily News years later: “Some students spend their time going to parties and drinking: we wrote model legislation and drafted press releases. Everyone has to have a hobby.” <5/8>
By 1972, they got Dayton to get rid of 34 pay toilets at the local airport. By 1973, they succeeded in getting the Chicago City Council to vote to ban pay toilets in the city. By 1976, the Ohio governor signed a bill requiring free toilets for every paid toilet. <6/8>
State after state started enacting bans — New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, California, Florida. After the 12th state enacted one — and about half of pay toilets in America were decommissioned due to CEPTIA pressure — the group declared victory and disbanded. <7/8>
So, remember, every time you use a free bathroom: It takes some time to realize ideas — and to better align public structures with public sentiment — but our society need not always be how it always has been! This is our country — we get to co-create it! <8/8>
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