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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To complain about blatant sexism?

28 replies

FineAsWeAre · 05/06/2017 14:44

I was shopping in Primark with my DH and DS. DH went to take DS into the changing rooms (in the kid's section, not gendered) and the female member of staff stopped him, saying he wasn't allowed in. When DH asked why she said "men aren't allowed in the children's changing rooms. DH pointed out that he was accompanying a child, not going on his own and the woman replied "yeah but there are other kids in there, it's just not right is it?" He was so annoyed that we just left, WIBU to complain to the manager?

OP posts:
ZeroFuchsGiven · 05/06/2017 14:46

YABU, He could have took him in the Mens changing rooms, I would not be happy if my daughter was in there alone and a Man was in there too..

tinytemper66 · 05/06/2017 14:46

Yes I would.

Soubriquet · 05/06/2017 14:48

I wouldn't be happy with that either

It's a children's dressing room not a mum and child's dressing room

If mums are allowed to accompany their children, dads should be able to too

Covfefe · 05/06/2017 14:50

What, men aren't allowed to be parents now? If it's so awful having a dad in the kid's changing rooms, maybe they should have more private cubicles.

Would you want him to have to take his daughter to the men's Zero?

kali110 · 05/06/2017 14:59

Yanbu! Its a childrens changing room, id expect a parent to be there!
This is ridiculous!

kali110 · 05/06/2017 15:01

It's a children's dressing room not a mum and child's dressing room
Bloody hell do we need even more changing rooms now?
Do we not have common sense?
Childrens changing room-parents Confused

Original poster
FineAsWeAre · 05/06/2017 15:01

Why not Zero? What if he was shopping with a girl instead, should he take her to the men's? What if you had a son who was in the changing rooms alone and I took my DS in, would that be ok because I'm not a man?

OP posts:
wheresthel1ght · 05/06/2017 15:06

The assistant was an idiot. A child is far more likely to be abused by a parent/uncle. Close friend than a random stranger.

Equally the recent child abductions in the news have been committed by other children.

I would certainly address the issue with the store manager

Gileswithachainsaw · 05/06/2017 15:07

How on earth do small kids get themselves dressed and undressed whilst not dumping the clothes they are trying on on the floor and making them filthy and get a parents able to get am idea of how easy they were to get on/off etc Confused

I have never ever had an issue anywhere taking my kids to the fitting rooms and nor has dp

ZeroFuchsGiven · 05/06/2017 15:09

Depends on the age of the child but if my 10/11/12/13/14/15 year old daughter was in there (still a child at that age but quite capable of trying something on herself) and a man was in there too, yeah I'd be pissed off.

wheresthel1ght · 05/06/2017 15:11

@zero please explain why, and also would you be pissed off if it was a mum escorting her young child

Gileswithachainsaw · 05/06/2017 15:12

So where exactly can dads go to take their kids to try on clothes?

ThouShallNotPass · 05/06/2017 15:25

Please do complain. This "all men are potential/likely pedophiles" shit needs stopping. My husband changes our kids at the pool because I physically can't (unisex changing facilities) and I would be furious if he was treated as some kind of pervert for doing it!

I too am curious Zero, where would you expect a father to take his daughter to try on clothes? Surely the men's changing is not suitable?
As long as a man or anyone else for that matter is not looking into closed changing cubicles then what is the issue?

Soubriquet · 05/06/2017 15:34

So where exactly can dads go to take their kids to try on clothes?

The men's changing room according to zero

Gileswithachainsaw · 05/06/2017 15:35

And with a girl aged seven upwards who needs a bit of help still?

Gileswithachainsaw · 05/06/2017 15:36

So a chikd is safe in a changing room all of men bit one man is a threat with their child?

StinkPickle · 05/06/2017 15:36

Bloody hell YANBU how awful!

Blatantly sexist and I'm sure she wouldn't have stopped a mother.

MamaHanji · 05/06/2017 15:37

I would be very annoyed! Why on earth would a father not be able to take his child into the children's changing room...

BeepBeepMOVE · 05/06/2017 15:41

But zero would you be okay with a 14/15yr old boy in there alone with your DD? Because they would be allowed and nowadays a 15yr old boy can look like a fully grown man.

MrsTerryPratchett · 05/06/2017 15:43

How old is DS?

fuckwitery · 05/06/2017 15:43

YABU to shop in primark.

Sirzy · 05/06/2017 15:43

Yes that is wrong and I agree you should complain, there is no logic behind the decision at all.

A lone adult trying to wander if fair enough stop them but someone accompanying a child?

Gileswithachainsaw · 05/06/2017 15:44

Yy beep from aboit 9/10 upwards kods are in as much danger from eachother as anyone else.

ErrolTheDragon · 05/06/2017 15:55

I'd have thought that kids old enough to manage by themselves unaccompanied should go into the one appropriate to their sex, and that the purpose of a 'kids' one would be for those that needed a parent (or older sib or whatever) to help.

ErrolTheDragon · 05/06/2017 15:56

And, obviously, the parent could be of either sex.