25 Products That Should Be Re-Designed With Women In Mind

Depending on your perspective within the demographic spectrum, you might not have realized that most things are designed either specifically for you or with an entirely different type of person in mind. Enter the world of gendered design.  Recently, someone inquired about "female-centric design in architecture and design," prompting women to share their innovative ideas. From everyday items like car headrests to significant matters like medical procedures, women often find themselves at a disadvantage in the design realm.

#1 You should not be able to look up through any floor or stair surface to look up anyone's clothing in any public environment where some people may be wearing dresses/skirts instead of trousers. Any design that's a built-in creep magnet to look up people's clothes annoys me greatly.

Image source: nevertruly, Lindsay Henwood / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#2 Can we please get boxes or even just a trash can for period product disposal in all unisex bathrooms. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to awkwardly walk out with a wrapped up pad to track down a trash can only to go back to wash my hands again. I can’t even begin to imagine how bad it is for people who use tampons regularly….

Image source: Starstruck_in_space, Jan Antonin Kolar / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#3 Safety equipment is so rough. We couldn't find a full-face respirator that fit half our team at work because they're small women. Would also love curvy work pants and some nitrile gloves made for short, fat fingers, please.

Image source: jerisad, Thirdman / pexels (not the actual photo)

#4 More bicycles or cycling bikes with wider seats. I love biking, but it always hurts. I know that you can buy a seat that is wider and will cater to a woman's pelvis, but that doesn't always speak to Spin classes, and they're an extra expense on top of already expensive bicycles. I'd love accessible fitness. It could have made such a difference earlier in my life.

Image source: Common_Impression482, Blubel / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#5 Would love to be able to reach all of my kitchen cabinets without having to completely renovate my kitchen.

Image source: buzzfeed_sucks, Callum Hill / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#6 My seatbelt constantly slides up due to my breasts. I so often worry about getting decapitated by my seatbelt.

Image source: Myrania, Joshua Hanson / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#7 Breast holes in massage tables ?.

Image source: shababski, engin akyurt / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#8

Image source: Dry_Mirror_6676, Haryo Ramadantyo / unsplash (not the actual photo) Better head rests in cars. Idk how many times I’ve sat down and my head can’t sit straight. The head rest is angled forward and down, so my height doesn’t work (5’4”) then add in a pony tail and I can’t actually use the seat.. I have to use the steering wheel (that I’m already so close to) to pull myself away from the seat and the floor to push my butt backwards. The entire time. I now I have a van, sooooo much better. I’ve passed on buying vehicles that had horrible head rests and my husband got confused because it was comfortable for him. He liked the car. I said nope. I can’t drive that safely.

#9 Cargo style utility trousers like they sell in the men's area of Walmart for like 20 dollars... but for women. I cannot find anything similar for women unless I want to spend 80 dollars per pair. I mean seriously, I can find dozens of cargo LEGGINGS for women before I find a decent pair of real cargos.

Image source: anon, Soner Özcan / pexels (not the actual photo)

#10 I'd just want to ban all glass or metal grate catwalks and stairs in contemporary architecture. My job has me visiting conference centers, hotels and flagship office building fairly frequently and there's just so much accidential peeping tom architecture going on...

Image source: Zeiserl

#11 Pockets.

Image source: beelovedone, Mikail McVerry / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#12 Can I call the development of medical solutions "designing"? (I'm gonna.)

Image source: you_know_juno, Giulia Bertelli / unsplash (not the actual photo) I want the design of medical solutions (anything from medicine to braces to even first aid courses or whatever) to be more inclusive for women. Many drugs are initially not tested on women, which can lead to them not discovering positive effects that the meds have on women but not men. The symptoms for heart attacks are different for women, so more women don't get the proper help for a heart attack. It's such a dark side of inequality.

#13 Seatbelts designed for women’s bodies would be great, actually.

Image source: TerribleAttitude, Giorgio Trovato / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#14 Women’s clothes that come in classic colors or patterns, use decent fabric, and have a classic fit. It’s impossible to buy clothes. If you like the color, it’s made with some horrible fabric. Or it has a weird trendy fit. No, I don’t actually want a mustard color polyester crop top shirt, thanks.

Image source: JoJo-likes-bikes, Nick de Partee / unsplash (not the actual photo) Bathrooms and changing rooms are going to gender neutral. Which is a nice idea, but I think this guy in my building uses it to jerk off, which is gross. You’ve been hogging the bathroom for 20 minutes and stroll out with the Victoria Secret catalog.

#15 We need more stalls in public spaces. With elbow room, at least one hook for the bag, seat covers. Correct lighting, so we can see a puddle if needed. Family restrooms with a privacy closet in case it’s Dad taking the daughter, which I think is a need, and I’ve not seen that.

Image source: Particular_Case_1739, O'Dea / Wikipedia (not the actual photo)

#16 Feminine products should be provided for free in public restrooms anywhere that toilet paper is provided. Dispensers should be a normal part of restroom design, like toilet paper holders.

Image source: throw-away-937361782, Natracare / unsplash (not the actual photo) I almost always have a tampon on me, but of course, the one time I don’t, I start my period days early while at a museum with no re-entry. Their restroom surprisingly had a tampon machine that required quarters; and I surprisingly actually had a quarter on me. I was like, “wow this is actually my lucky day”. Then guess what? The tampon machine ate my quarter and gave me nothing. Happily the museum staff provided me with a tampon when I told them what happened, but that was after having to leave the resteoom with toilet paper shoved in my pants. So ever since then, I’m wondering why feminine products aren’t available and stocked like toilet paper in restrooms. It’s a basic hygiene issue and most women will only use the free stuff in an emergency anyway.

#17 This might seem shallow, I don't know, but I would really love cute shoes for women with big feet. They seriously don't exist. If they do, I've not been able to find them.

Image source: rosesforthemonsters, Lany-Jade Mondou / pexels (not the actual photo) I swear shoe manufacturers think all women have small, slender, dainty little feet. I know I am not the only chick with long, wide feet. I wear a men's size 11 wide width sneaker. Yeah......my feet are huge. So, that roughly translates to a women's size 13. Good luck finding a cute shoe or stylish dress boots in that size. I even started looking at shoes for drag queens -- which I can usually find the size I need but unfortunately not the style I want.

#18 Reasonable business bags. I have to carry 1-2 laptops and the backpack/ trolly is my office.

Image source: anon, Andrew Neel / pexels (not the actual photo) Most business backpacks, bags and trolleys are designed for men. The backpack's straps are too wide for my shoulders and give me back pain. The Trolley is usually quite big and weirdly constructed, so I can't carry it well when necessary. It's for wider shoulders and more muscled arms and no hips, so it will bump against my hips and legs all the time when I use the handle or shoulder strap. That's not fun with 5-8kg. Also, white blouses. Don't make them see through, thankyouverymuch.

#19 Anything and everything to be built for female bodies, not to be confused with miniaturized male bodies.

Image source: VanthGuide, Ono Kosuki / pexels (not the actual photo) Shoes. Car seats. Sporting equipment. Tools. Working spaces. Safety equipment. Medications and medical procedures. I went with my team for a customer visit recently and they gave us access badges with clips. The men clipped them to their suit jackets. The women among us in sweaters and blouses had to figure out where tf to clip them. Most companies hand out breakaway lanyards these days, which work for folks in any type of clothing. Just the most recent irritant I experienced where it was obvious women were not considered in their customer visit process development.

#20 Doors that are easier to open. I'm barely 100 lbs and a lot of doors are just impossible to open for me. It was especially annoying when I worked at the office building with doors that could literally crush me. I understand some of them need to weigh a lot due to fire safety requirements, but a lot of them are just unnecessarily big.

Image source: katethekitten

#21 Crash test dummies with women's body types (including ones representing pregnancies) used for automotive testing, please! I recall reading that women are more likely to sustain serious injuries when airbags go off, than they are from the initial vehicle accident.

Image source: peppermind, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety / Wikipedia (not the actual photo)

#22 I would love to see purse or bag hooks mounted on the bathroom vanities in public restrooms. Every once in a while I find them, but for the most part, they are non-existent. I hate putting my purse on the floor anywhere in a bathroom but the countertops are usually too wet or small to hold bags while I’m washing my hands.

Image source: PepRMint_1972, Casey / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#23 This is a lot more trivial than what others have suggested, but, tools and implements. I'd like secateurs designed for my small hands and chef's cleavers made with the same philosophy. Phones I can hold comfortably, and drills that are an appropriate size. I want these things to made for AFAB users, not simply coloured pink. There are definite safety benefits derived from being able to properly grip and handle a tool, too.

Image source: Tazerin, Eugen Str / unsplash (not the actual photo)

#24 Spaces for comfortable, hygienic breastfeeding that are not bathrooms. Should have comfortable seating, sinks, waste bins, changing tables, and hooks for hanging bags and coats, as well as counter space for laying out pump parts.

Image source: snugglemoose, Wes Hicks / unsplash (not the actual photo) Women are statistically more likely to be caring for young children in public so more spaces that are friendly to young children, like enclosed indoor play areas at libraries, coffee shops, etc. Features like safety barriers that do not have wide gaps, covered outlets, and safe window coverings make me feel more at ease with my kids in public.

#25 Not cringey “Girl power yihaaa” type of stuff when it comes to Geek stuff. When I find a cool shirt or what, it’s mostly designed for men because of the character, the color, or the anime/comic. When I look at women shirt, mostly pink or pastel color, girly heroes with cringey women empowering writing, or cute animals.

Image source: anon, Alexander London / unsplash (not the actual photo) Like, I can’t appreciate a good DBZ shirts with a fight printed on it, too “male”, I better watch some Barbie or shojo girls related stuff ? I want a shirt of my shape with a f*****g good fight and blood on it, please ?.