To think this is sexist?

[KitKat1985]

So I should explain me and DH have two daughters in nappies - a 3 month old and a near two and a half year old (we have been trying to toilet train her but haven't been successful yet). DH is a brilliant and very 'hands-on' dad. A couple of days ago we were out at a family occasion for the afternoon, and invariably both girls needed nappy changes during the day. The venue only provided baby change facilities in the ladies loo. This has happened several times at various locations when we've been out with the DDs. DH offered to still do nappy changes but I said I'd do it as he understandably felt uncomfortable going into the ladies, and he didn't want to do it on the floor in the male loos as (in his words) the floor is always covered in piss and he doesn't want the girls lying on a piss-covered floor. I feel not having nappy change facilities in the gents is sexist as firstly it implies that nappy changes are solely womens' work, and secondly it makes it bloody awkward for DH when he is out with the DDs on his own (as he will have to when I'm back to work etc) as he understandably doesn't want to go into the ladies loos to access a baby change facility. Surely now it's 2017 it shouldn't be unreasonable to have baby changing facilities in both the male and female loos?

What would a pressure group achieve, it wouldn't be directed at any particular outlets

Maybe aim to get it into legislation that any new public venue should have baby changing facilities accessible to both men and women - perhaps make it a condition of planning permission or the granting of licences?

YANBU
I went to a soft play a few weeks ago with my DP and DD and the only changing facilities were not marked as 'baby change' but as 'mothers room'

Islacornx Is that because the room is meant for bf too?

Mothers rooms are usually for breastfeeding.

Is there any legislation already in place for new businesses? Or of a certain size?

MiddleClassProblem I'm guessing not since I've been in plenty of new venues where there's no baby change in the male loos.

Right, there's now a petition!

Link below. I need 5 signatories for the petition to go 'live' as it were:

I’ve made a petition –will you sign it?
Click this link to sign the petition:

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/188050/sponsors/4rHd5SCaaNSDYc1h8Y62

My petition:
Make it a requirement for men to have equal access to baby change facilities.
Many venues only provide baby changing facilities in the female toilets, making it difficult for men to change their children's nappies in public places. Many men are actively involved in looking after their children, and it is unfair to only allow women easy access to baby changing facilities.

Does your husband actually care about this as much as you do?

Signed. Just waiting for the email. My DH cares about this a lot.

DH is just waiting for confirmation too x

Can you tweak the wording at this stage? Only, I'm not sure if places are obligated to provide any baby change facilities at all, so they could make 'equal access' by removing them from the ladies.

Signed and will share on FB once its live :)

Done!

Yes DH definitely cares! It was him who was moaning about it at the weekend! Thank you for the signs. Sadly can't tweak the wording now though I'm afraid.

But it was you who ended up doing the work - putting up this thread, suggesting a mumsnet campaign, making a petition. Why is that, if he's passionate about it?

Why does it matter, MrsDustyBusty?

See if you can email the venue and let them know

It doesn't matter, I just think it's interesting that fathers prefer to leave this action to mothers. I would like to know why they don't act on these issues and why women take them up on men's behalf.

It's just as much a women's issue. Shit for men in their own, shit for women with their make partner who have to do it all the time

DH has taken action an signed the petition. You could say the same for everyone else on this thread regardless of gender

*and

I agree MrsDustyBusty Women tend to do work to solve men's issues.

I agree that they should be available for men to use too, but I don't think that provision and access to baby changing facilities is a responsibility covered by Parliament. I don't think there is a legal requirement for them to be provided at all, they are a bit like parent and child parking spaces in that respect, a courtesy.

And I also don't agree that having them in the accessible toilet is ideal either, as it means that the toilet is less accessible by availability when the space is dual purpose.

I wrote it as DH was working at the time! Whereas I had some free time as DD1 was at nursery, and DD2 was asleep. He was the first supporter signature though.

I believe Obama passed a law requiring all new builds to have changing stations in the gents as well as the ladies.

When I told my dad, he said, "I bet that was Michelle's idea."