Should More Men’s Restrooms Have Changing Tables?

A recent Facebook post shows an exasperated father, Donte Palmer, executing his “perfect man squat” to change his 1-year-old son’s diaper in a men’s restroom that had no changing table.

The post prompted support from thousands of other fathers, many of whom shared photos of their own squats.

Palmer and others have started using #SquatForChange to urge more businesses to install diaper-changing stations in men’s restrooms, and to encourage other fathers to take active roles in their children’s lives.

Not a new problem

This isn’t the first time fathers have attempted to bring attention to this issue.

As The Washington Post reported in 2015, actor Ashton Kutcher, who was a relatively new father at the time, complained about the problem on Facebook, saying, “There are NEVER diaper changing stations in mens [sic] public restrooms.”

Then he made a deal: “The first public men’s room that I go into that has one gets a free shout out on my FB page!” The post got more than 11,000 comments, 13,000 shares and 240,000 likes.

Kutcher said at the time:

“I would like my daughter to experience a world where gender doesn’t dictate one’s responsibility or limit one’s opportunity. Having changing tables in men’s rooms is just a tiny step in the process of rectifying legacy gender discrimination. Men who are aware of this bias want to participate equally in the child care process and our society should support that. It’s time to get our hands dirty.”

What do you think?

Should more men’s restrooms have changing tables? Why or why not? Tell your reps what you think, then share your thoughts below.

—Sara E. Murphy

(Photo Credit: Donte Palmer)