This Frustrated Dad Just Wants Some Damn Changing Stations in Men’s Bathrooms Already

Despite it being 2018, there's one thing about parenthood that some people don't understand: Dads actually change diapers. Chris Mau is one of those *surprising* fathers who takes care of his little one's soiled diaper whenever he sees that 8-month-old Kali needs it. And yet, just because he is a male, some people assume that Mau isn't the one actually changing diapers — especially when he's out in public. 

This means that most public bathrooms don't have a changing table in the male restrooms, often forcing this dad-of-four to change his baby's diaper on the sticky floor. During a recent walk with his fiancée and two other daughters, he was once again put into this nasty situation and has had enough with the bathroom hypocrisy.  

"I'm getting pretty sick of having to change my daughter on a disgusting floor because the only changing table in the place is located in the women's bathroom. It's crazy to imagine I know but there are guys who take care of their kids too you asshats," he wrote on Facebook. "If it's a public place with public restrooms in the generation of equality among genders and races then how about making sure us fathers can change our children's diapers on a goddamn changing table like the mother's can. Am I asking too much?"

Dad changing diaper on the floor
Chris Mau

Mau tells CafeMom that he was just trying to be a good dad by taking Kali and finding a bathroom as soon as he realized she needed a new diaper. "Fortunately, there was a McDonald's restaurant with a Play Place literally right in front of us, so figuring they must have changing stations having a Play Place, we headed in and the fiancée took our two oldest to play while I hit the bathroom to change Kali who was unhappy at this point," he says. "To my surprise, there was no changing station and I had to decide whether or not to change her in there, change her in the dining area and face scrutiny from people, or have her sit in it until I could find a place with a changing station."

Fortunately, Mau keeps an "emergency towel" in the stroller so he had something to clean to change her on instead of making her wait when she was clearly uncomfortable. However, he realizes that not all dads are this lucky and that a dirty floor shouldn't be their only option. "Although many places have proper accommodations for parents to change a diaper there's a staggering amount of restrooms that don't and there's no way of knowing until you're in there whether or not they have one," he says. "It's irritating and a problem worldwide that has such an inexpensive and easy way to resolve."

Dad changing diaper on the floor
Chris Mau

So instead of making dads on diaper duty put kids on the floor, or assuming that only women will be the ones dealing with emergency blowouts, Mau is asking restaurants and public establishments to get with the times. "A saying I had heard in my youth comes to mind for just about every aspect of the matter: 'it takes an entire village to raise a child,'" he says.