The other day, Ingrid Piller’s “Language on the Move” blog showed a number of signs that are posted in restrooms in Australia. The purpose of these signs is to explain, without text, how to use a Western toilet. This is a harder task than those of us who are accustomed to such devices might assume. The international symbols for “Men,” ”Women,” and “Wheelchair Accessible” that often mark public restrooms appear on these signs in a variety of non-self-explanatory positions.

I’ve always been intrigued by these international symbols, or pictograms. I’m not the only one. Here‘s a ”Flickr Hive Mind” thing of images of the “Wheelchair Accessible” pictogram. For example, here‘s the wheelchair pictogram carrying a flower; here is the same pictogram some distance from a family group; here are two of them, apparently in an embrace; here are two about to go their separate ways, though still facing the same direction. Also on Flickr, we can see a sign that appears to invite women accompanied by tiny people using wheelchairs, and one that appears to invite men accompanied by tiny people using wheelchairs.

I’ve found the same pictogram having still other adventures. For example, here‘s the accessibility symbol shouting through a megaphone:

Here‘s the international symbol for falling out of your wheelchair:

If it bothers you that the accessibility pictogram is unisex, you might like to see this on the Paris Metro:

The other pictograms are livelier than you might think, as well.

Here‘s an argument against unisex restrooms:

Here, Mr & Mrs Pictogram put on some clothes. If this is a fair representation of their fashion sense, I can see why we are usually shown only their silhouettes:

This picture has a similar esthetic to the one above, but makes its statement more bluntly:

Perhaps these “branded” women could benefit from the sort of sisterhood illustrated in this image.

Here‘s a crowd of men’s symbols:

I wonder which direction they’re facing.

This fellow seems to be in trouble:

Perhaps he’d envy this kinsman of his:

This one seems to be having a better time:

Here, a mosaic of international symbols makes up a giant face:

This is the international symbol for Muslim prayer room. I think it needs work. The woman’s headscarf looks like a device that’s keeping her head taped to her shoulders: