How the ‘WC’ Sign Reflects Cultural Differences Around the World

Have you ever seen the letters “WC” outside a public bathroom and wondered what they mean? You’re not alone! Many people around the world are curious about the “WC,” which refers to a room with a toilet and a sink.

While we can explain what “WC” stands for, it might not make much more sense than other terms like restroom, bathroom, or loo.

In 2020, a couple named Shelby and Dylan made a TikTok video showing a funny difference between how some Americans and Canadians refer to bathrooms. In the video, Dylan walks by a sign that says “washroom” and asks, “What in the world is a washroom?” He humorously wonders what people are washing in there, adding, “The only thing I wash in there is my hands.” Off-camera, Shelby chimes in, asking, “Do you rest in a restroom?”

It’s interesting to see how different cultures use different terms for the same place!

“That’s a good point. None of these terms make much sense,” Dylan says in the video.

Many people joined the conversation online, sharing their thoughts about what they call this important room.

One user commented, “It’s called a bathroom, restroom, washroom, and toilet.”

Another follower shared a funny story from Disneyland, saying they “asked for the washroom” and ended up being sent to the laundromat instead!

A third user joked, “Wait until he finds out about water closets.”

**Water Closet**
According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, a “water closet” is a term used to describe “a room with a toilet” or “a toilet bowl and its accessories.”

Long ago, when people talked about using the bathroom, it often meant taking a bath. The term “restroom” suggested a place to rest or get ready 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 are in the world, this room is called many different names, including loo, restroom, bathroom, washroom, lavatory, or WC.

Credit: Shutterstock

In modern times, you will often see signs that say “WC” in public places like airports, restaurants, or hotels. This is just another way to say “restroom” or “bathroom,” but it is usually seen as a more formal or international sign for places that welcome travelers from different countries.

**History of the WC**
Before the 19th century in America, having an indoor toilet was a luxury only for wealthy people. Most people used outhouses or outdoor toilets. While many homes had “bathrooms” for taking baths, these rooms usually didn’t have toilets. The installation of indoor plumbing started to become common in the late 1800s, leading to the creation of the water closet by 1890. These early water closets had toilets that were separate from bathing areas.

It wasn’t until the early 20th century that bathrooms began to combine both bathing areas and toilets into one room. This design helped save space and made plumbing simpler, but it also reduced privacy, especially when multiple people were using the bathroom.

Over time, the term “water closet” changed to refer to a small, private room within a larger bathroom that was used only for the toilet. These water closets often have a small sink for handwashing, making them convenient and self-contained.

Credit: Shutterstock

To understand the term “water closet,” many people shared their thoughts on Reddit in a post titled, “Why is a public WC called bathroom if there is [no] bath?”

In response, one Reddit user pointed out, “Americans might ask: ‘Why is it called a WC (water closet) if it isn’t even a closet?” This user explained that in the U.S., “bathroom” or “restroom” is the common way to refer to a “room with a toilet.” Other countries use different terms, like “WC,” “lavatory,” or “loo.”

Another user mentioned that in Russian, the term translates to “a room without windows,” even if there is a window. A third user shared that in Esperanto, it’s called “necesejo,” meaning “necessary place.”

Other Reddit users talked about the differences between “washroom,” “bathroom,” and “restroom.” One commenter noted, “Canada famously uses ‘washroom,’” while another clarified that in the Midwest, “washroom” is also common, but “bathroom” and “restroom” are used more frequently.

One user humorously stated, “Best one, I think. You should be washing in there… not resting.”

What do you think about the term WC? What do you call the room that has a toilet? We would love to hear your opinions, so please share your thoughts!

Morena Baccarin hated kissing Ryan Reynolds and filming two-day sex scene with him in Deadpool

Morena Baccarin portrayed Ryan Reynolds’ on-screen love interest in the film.
You’d think an A-lister like Ryan Reynolds would make a lasting impact on anyone he kisses… but it appears you’d be mistaken.

Morena Baccarin spent two days kissing the Canadian star, comparing it to ‘kissing a gigantic latex condom’.
Blake Lively, if you’re reading this, before you see red and go ape s*** on your husband and baby daddy, remember that he was merely acting while filming Deadpool.

If you saw the 2016 film, you’re surely familiar with the sex’scene’, which is actually a collection of sequences showing a year of intimacy.
Baccarin was entrusted with kissing her on-screen spouse during the original Deadpool film and its 2018 sequel, when she played the protagonist’s fiancée, Vanessa Carlysle.

In fairness to the Wrexham owner, he was wearing a mask during the jam-packed sex scene montage, and Baccarin praised his professionalism throughout.
In the funny scene, the couple dress up in various clothing to honor the various seasons and holidays that occur throughout the year.

They celebrate Valentine’s Day, International Women’s Day, and Christmas, among other national holidays.
In 2017, Conan O’Brien interviewed Baccarin about the film, during which she discussed the X-rated two-day shoot.

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She responded: “[The film] was really fun… minus the two days of sex scenes, it was wonderful, the whole experience.”
The Greenland star went on to say, “It took two days to shoot the sex scene since I believe we had been making beautiful love for a year. So it was all about the holidays, you know. “So we dressed differently for each person.”

Baccarin told People magazine in 2018 that Deadpool’s costume did little for Reynolds.
“I keep saying that kissing him in that mask is like kissing a giant latex condom,” she said.
“It basically just smells like rubber the entire time.”
That’s not what you want to hear from the person you’re kissing, right?
However, Baccarin has stated that her co-star’s professionalism made the entire situation acceptable.
“There is a lot of laughter. “That stuff is always uncomfortable,” she told Collider in 2015. “But, we made the best of it.”
Baccarin added, “By the end of the day, you’re like, ‘Okay, where do you want me, how do you-?’” You’re spreading your legs and saying whatever; it’s just that you become used to each other.”
Okay, I’m not exactly a kissing expert; in college, a friend overheard a girl I kissed at a party declare she ‘just had the worst kiss in her life’… but she didn’t call me a condom, did she? Yates 1-0 Reynolds.

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