Butlins. Single sex toilets. and baby changes

[ButlinsCanbuggeroff]

Staying at Butlins during their mid term toddler weeks. The main area has one set of toilets, they have all been labelled womens and mens, and they all have a "baby change" logo next to them.

There are obviously hundreds of families with mothers and fathers and almost all of the children are still nappy age.

Walk in to the women's bathroom which is literally next door to the men's and see a man using the changing area to change his baby. There is a wall of full baby change units like you have in a home nursery and I assume one-drop down in the disabled toilet.

I ask him why he isn't using the men's area, and he says it's because he is "helping his pregnant wife". I tell him he can "help" her in the men's room. He says OK and starts to leave at this point the cleaner has a go at me and tells me that actually, the only provision for men is in the men's disabled cubicle at the back of the men's toilets and that men are welcome to use the women's toilets to change their baby for that reason.

So I walk out and across the tent to ask why in 2018, in a place specifically designed for children, during their specifically most baby-friendly time they haven't got a provision for men to change their babies. I tell the woman what happened and I'm again questioned as to why I asked the man to leave the women's toilets. I said because he was in the women's toilets and as they were labelled as all baby change friendly I thought he should go to the men's room next door. the woman says he has every right to change there and I asked if they have a policy of single sex toilets or not? She says of course they do but men can only see the sinks and not in to the individual cubicles so she doesn't see the issue. She is looking at me like I'm slightly mad. I explained that sometimes if you've been puked on or if you're changing a child who has had an accident you might need to use the main area and sinks which are meant to be private. And that families with three children can't actually fit in to the cubicle.

I said, does she not think it's weird that in 2018 Butlins a child friendly resort doesn't think able-bodied men need to change their babies? She said it was because the building was 50 years old. Which while true, doesn't really cut it as the bathrooms and whole place have clearly been updated in the past 50 years and the 3 changing tables at the front of the women's toilets are stand alone anyway. The woman admits that actually yes, it probably is a bit "discriminatory towards men"

So basically my issue is that able bodied men with children who far outnumber disabled men with babies have the option of taking up a disabled cubicle or going in to the women's area. And that again, women are made to feel stupid for asking a strange man to kindly get out?

And why don't organizations like F4J fight for more changing rooms in toilets so they can do diapers instead of poor cereal on floors?

How is it a political stance to expect adequate provision for both men and women to change a babys nappy on a break specifically for toddlers?

Firstly regardless of what a woman is wearing she can still say no, I'd prefer to not be naked in front of men.

Hate to think what your opinions on short skirts might be.

secondly, again. I did not speak to the cleaner or ask her opinion on anything. She provided it unasked, free of charge. Apparently, even women on minimum wage are allowed opinions these days

Thirdly, again, nothing to do with the pool. No pool is mentioned in the op. I even clarified just in case later on. People change babies in bathrooms, do you have children? Do you understand how nappies work?

How is it a political stance to expect adequate provision for both men and women to change a babys nappy on a break specifically for toddlers?

I don't know, something about feminism and voting and then we'll start expecting men to change nappies. Or something.

Well somebody paid enough to want to protect their company may well lose sleep over upset customers. However Butlins staff are mainly seasonal, very underpaid and probably have an awful lot more to think about that day than the fact that some woman’s got a political stance of the baby set up in a swimming pool. The place where you all wear a thin piece of Lycra just covering 30% of your body max. They changing rooms all have a locked door on them and you get naked inside them, they are mixed. Men are constantly walking past your locked door. Then you move 10 metres to the toilet and a man can walk past your door and you’re outraged. Personally I’d be more bothered about the dirty nappies and filth in the general changing room in butlins bognor but I wouldn’t bother mentioning it because it would bring negativity to my holiday and also the staff ..wouldn’t give two shits.

So you got misogyny for Christmas, what else did you get?

There should be baby changing in the mens toilets. This should not be a controversial statement.

I'd be uncomfortable as fuck if I had my knickers off and a man walked into the room even with a cubicle

How is it a political stance to expect adequate provision for both men and women to change a babys nappy on a break specifically for toddlers?

This.

Apart from anything else, what about all the blokes who want to change their kids? What are they supposed to do?

Their choice is go in the ladies or take up a disabled facility?

It's absolute nonsense. Regressive bollocks.

And tells you exactly what the attitude is of Butlins.

Only women change nappies, and disabled people don't matter.

I do not consent to sharing with men/males.
No one has the right to force me to mix with males just because they aren't bothered.
If you aren't bothered - go in the fucking gents.