Amon86
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In Jinhua, Zhejiang, a tourist went to the restroom at a movie theater and suddenly discovered that the mall was using pictures of hands holding bananas and grapefruits to indicate gender. After complaining, the mall explained that the original intention was to encourage people to eat more fruit!
According to the photos taken by the tourist, the signs at the restroom entrance weren't ordinary male and female icons, nor were they subtle expressions like "gentleman" and "lady." Instead, there were two pictures: one of a hand holding a peeled banana, and the other of a finger picking at a cut grapefruit.
At first glance, many people wouldn't think of fruit, but something else entirely.
This tourist felt something was wrong and complained. The mall's response was even more interesting: they said everyone misunderstood; the original intention wasn't that, but to remind people to eat more fruit.
Bananas and grapefruits are indeed fruits. That's correct. Bananas are a good source of potassium, and grapefruits are rich in Vitamin C—both are good things. But the problem lies in the accompanying pictures: not only are the fruits themselves shown, but the accompanying hand gestures are also present. One hand holds a peeled banana, the other picks at a sliced grapefruit. This combination of actions is generally understood by adults.
The netizens' disapproval is understandable. It's not that people are morally corrupt, but rather that the design itself is deliberately skirting the line. It's neither as straightforward as traditional signage nor as aesthetically pleasing as true high art, stuck in an awkward position.
Ultimately, this isn't a matter of "over-interpretation," but rather that the designer knew perfectly well what they were doing and simply gambled on public tolerance. If no one complains, it can be used as a unique sign, even garnering a "funny" rating. If someone complains, they can simply say, "You're overthinking it; I'm just trying to get people to eat more fruit."
But the problem is, the primary function of signage in a public space is to provide directions, not to create memes. You can hang any image you like in your private space, but placing it near a public restroom that everyone uses requires considering basic public comfort. Especially in places like movie theaters, where people of all ages gather, parents with children going to the movies—do they really need to explain what this image means just to get to the restroom? How?
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https://www.163.com/dy/article/KSJ4BK110552M0MJ.html
According to the photos taken by the tourist, the signs at the restroom entrance weren't ordinary male and female icons, nor were they subtle expressions like "gentleman" and "lady." Instead, there were two pictures: one of a hand holding a peeled banana, and the other of a finger picking at a cut grapefruit.
At first glance, many people wouldn't think of fruit, but something else entirely.
This tourist felt something was wrong and complained. The mall's response was even more interesting: they said everyone misunderstood; the original intention wasn't that, but to remind people to eat more fruit.
Bananas and grapefruits are indeed fruits. That's correct. Bananas are a good source of potassium, and grapefruits are rich in Vitamin C—both are good things. But the problem lies in the accompanying pictures: not only are the fruits themselves shown, but the accompanying hand gestures are also present. One hand holds a peeled banana, the other picks at a sliced grapefruit. This combination of actions is generally understood by adults.
The netizens' disapproval is understandable. It's not that people are morally corrupt, but rather that the design itself is deliberately skirting the line. It's neither as straightforward as traditional signage nor as aesthetically pleasing as true high art, stuck in an awkward position.
Ultimately, this isn't a matter of "over-interpretation," but rather that the designer knew perfectly well what they were doing and simply gambled on public tolerance. If no one complains, it can be used as a unique sign, even garnering a "funny" rating. If someone complains, they can simply say, "You're overthinking it; I'm just trying to get people to eat more fruit."
But the problem is, the primary function of signage in a public space is to provide directions, not to create memes. You can hang any image you like in your private space, but placing it near a public restroom that everyone uses requires considering basic public comfort. Especially in places like movie theaters, where people of all ages gather, parents with children going to the movies—do they really need to explain what this image means just to get to the restroom? How?
Send feedback
https://www.163.com/dy/article/KSJ4BK110552M0MJ.html
