"Bidets are now, once again, having a moment. As international athletes and journalists descend on northern Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics, certain participants have wondered about the additional piece of equipment in their bathrooms. Europeans, quite familiar with the oval basins, have found themselves similarly perplexed by their confusion. Cultural exchange often has its hiccups. Last week, US broadcaster Alicia Lewis posted a TikTok asking if the Italian bidet in her room was, in fact, a bidet."
"Although the French are believed to be particularly averse to the bidet, the tool seems to have been invented in France during the early part of the 18th century. Still, the identity of its inventor remains unknown. The name comes from a transalpine term for ponies, small but vigorous all-purpose horses (from bider, "to trot"). Basically, it's a reference to the straddling position adopted to perform the most hygienic practices."
Bidet use has resurfaced in public attention as international visitors to northern Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics encounter the fixture in hotel rooms, prompting surprise and social-media reactions. An example TikTok captured a broadcaster questioning an Italian bidet, while news reports noted the device is common in Italian residences. Interest in bidets is rising in other contexts, including a mayoral aspiration to install them at Gracie Mansion and recommendations from media outlets. The bidet originated in France in the early 18th century, with evidence in Italy around 1720 and royal adoption by Maria Carolina of Habsburg-Lorraine.
Read at WIRED
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