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The reason this dad's photos with his son from a men's bathroom are going viral.

 

A photo of a father trying to change his son’s nappy in a public bathroom is going viral because of a struggle most parents know all too well.

The lack of changing tables in men’s and women’s toilets.

Three weeks ago, 31-year-old Donte Palmer found himself, for the upteenth time, squatting down on the floor of a restaurant’s men’s toilets to change his one-year-old son’s nappy. Even with the help of his seven-year-old son, it wasn’t comfortable for dad or baby.

The teacher and father-of-three then decided to post photos of the annoying moment on Instagram to share his frustrations at the lack of change tables in men’s bathrooms.

“What’s the deal with not having changing tables in men’s bathroom as if we don’t exist! Clearly we do this often because look how comfortable my son is. It’s routine to him!!!! Let’s fix this problem!” the Flordia man captioned the images.

He also told Buzzfeed News, “My wife and I, we share everything equally. We cook and clean. We work hard — equally. Why do we share equal responsibility but society views us differently?”

A post shared by Donte Palmer (@3boys_1goal) on

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The images quickly resonated with parents online, many of whom are dads who’ve had to find creative ways to change their kids’ nappies in public bathrooms, and mums who also struggle to find changing areas in public venues.

“I’ve had to put my hoodie on the floor to do diaper changes. It’s ridiculous,” one Twitter user wrote.

Another added, “I had that same problem too.. like ‘what, men don’t take care of they kids too?'”

On Instagram, one mother commented, “YES. My husband and I split everything as well and he often can’t find a changing table in men’s bathrooms. It is ridiculous!”

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“Yessssss. As a mama married to an amazing guy who is always willing to do diaper changes in public – WE FEEL YOUR PAIN. He’s changed our kids’ diapers more than a couple times on the floor of public restrooms. It’s horrible,” wrote another.

 

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One father shared his experience of having to ask women coming out of the ladies bathrooms if there are changing facilities he can use.

“I’ve straight up asked women coming out of the bathroom if there is a changing table in there. If there is I’ll go in the women’s room to change my kid.”

Another pointed out this is an issue for not just fathers in heterosexual relationships, but fathers in same sex couples and single parents.

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“I think it’s absolutely unfair that men does not have changing tables! Plus the fact there are MANY single parents, widows and same sex couples!”

Since Palmer shared his photos with the hashtag #squatforchange, a number of dads have posted their own images on social media in support.

A post shared by FreshMade (@freshprince305) on

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A post shared by Donte Palmer (@3boys_1goal) on

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Palmer isn’t the first person to ask why there aren’t change tables in men’s toilets.

Earlier this year, a dad from New Hampshire shared images of the conditions he had to change his eight-month-old daughter’s nappy in because there were no changing tables in the men’s bathroom.

Actor Ashton Kutcher also launched a campaign in 2015 putting pressure on businesses to install changing tables in men’s bathrooms.

Traditionally, ‘nappy changing’ was seen as a woman’s job, hence why so many female bathrooms either have changing facilities, or are labelled as ‘family rooms’.

Obviously, this is no longer the case, but the only way to make sure parenting responsibilities are shared equally is to make sure both have the facilities they need.

In 2018, it’s time public restrooms caught up.

Have you had an uncomfortable experience changing your child’s nappy in a public place? Do you think the onus is on businesses to make their spaces more family friendly?