> On Sunday, Valery Ushakov wrote in response to Michael Everson:
>
> >> In the Soviet Union, I heard from someone once, they used to use a
> >> downward-pointing triangle for the men's, and an upward-pointing
> >> triangle for the women's. I'd guess that this was based on broad
> >> shoulders vs. skirts.
>
> >That's correct. Also there's also a (combining? ;-) circle above for
> >stylized head.
>
> >But in practice a great variety of signs used.
>
>
> I've seen the same in some other countries. In Japan and China,
> it is sometimes used with red for men and blue for women.
>
> In Japan, they have another graphic variation:
>
> * A solid circle with a |><| (bow tie) below it, all in red, for boys.
>
> * For girls,a hair ribbon|><|is put above the solid circle, all in blue.
>
> This is used on restrooms and locker rooms. Its both effective...
> and amusing. (As an American, I admit that it took me a few minutes
> to figure out... when was the last time you saw a boy in a bow tie
> or a girl with a hair ribbon in the US...?)
>
> Clive
