A UK TikToker’s experience with American bathrooms from December 2025 has resurfaced on X. The woman wondered why there were gaps in public bathroom stalls in America. The clip, now viral on X, drew responses from Americans and Europeans alike about bathroom privacy and design.
@gabbyfromtheuk first shared the video on December 19, 2025, on TikTok. By the time it resurfaced on X, the original TikTok had drawn 10,000 views and more than 800 comments. In her video, she highlighted the one thing in America that didn’t make sense to her: gaps in public bathroom stalls.
After visiting multiple countries across the globe, she had never seen a bathroom stall that had gaps, like those in America. She said the gaps left her feeling exposed whenever she used one.
The TikToker explained her confusion, saying, “I just don’t understand the purpose of someone else being able to see you in the bathroom; I don’t like it.” Although she claimed to understand the purpose of safety for the gap, for her, it was still too wide a gap.
@gabbyfromtheuk I don’t understand why it’s like this in America ? Let me pee in peace ??? #britinamerica #usa #fyp #foryoupage #americans
♬ original sound - gabbyfromtheuk
Some of her followers, who appeared to be American, responded with their own suggestions behind the gap. One user joked, “Those gaps are for talking to people and for greetings and for waving to each other…”
The same TikTok user added, “And for passing notes or passing toilet paper, and for sign language so others can see what you are saying.” The TikToker replied with laughing emojis.
Some commenters sided with her. “I don’t like it either,” wrote one user. A user addressed the woman’s question about whether the men’s restroom also had gaps in its bathroom stalls.
The user confirmed, saying, “Yes, men's restrooms look like that too. We’ve been trained not to look in the gaps.”
Are Gaps in Public Bathroom Stalls a Culture Shock to Europeans? UK TikToker's Experience Sparked Debate on X
The video was reshared by @AngelMD1103, a verified user on X. Since then, it has amassed nearly 1 million views, sparking debate over the gap and its overall purpose.
Many X users related to the TikToker's surprise, saying bathroom gaps are a consistent point of confusion for European visitors.
For many European visitors, experiencing public restrooms in the U.S. can be a surprising cultural difference. The gaps between restroom stall doors may feel unusual to people who are used to more enclosed designs in many parts of Europe.
— Dr. CZ (@AngelMD1103) June 15, 2026
Small details like this show how… pic.twitter.com/zu9a0ehSLM
A user commented, “Those gaps always throw off Europeans—feels wide open compared to their full-height doors.” The same person added, “Classic ‘safety-gap’ versus ‘privacy-first’ elsewhere.”
Others believed that the gap was a result of allegedly low budgets for public bathrooms in America. One such individual sarcastically said, “It’s cause here in America, we do things the cheap way. We don’t want things to be too expensive or look too nice.”
