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27th Jan 2020

New York has made it illegal for male restrooms not to have changing tables

Melissa Carton

A great step in the right direction.

Modern day dads are 50/50 when it comes to providing care for their children but they are at a disadvantage in a lot of ways.

One way that dads have it harder when trying to look after their children is when it comes to changing nappies in public restrooms as most male restrooms do not have changing tables.

Dads in New York got fed with this and took a stand which has resulted in it becoming mandatory for male restrooms in the state of New York to have changing tables.

Last year New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the state would provide diaper changing stations in public buildings.

This year the new rules came into effect which stipulate that both male and female toilets must be equipped with baby changing facilities.

All new buildings constructed in the city will be required to have changing tables in both restrooms, and existing buildings must renovate their public restrooms to outfit them with changing tables so that regardless of gender any parent can change their child safely.

Only last month while attending Wild Lights I noticed that Dublin Zoo have inclusive changing facilities for dads as does the Epic Museum at the CHQ, but many more public places should adopt the idea.

Hopefully, Irish cities and Irish businesses will soon take the same approach as New York and make life just that bit easier for dads across the country and make things more equal for both parents.

Trust me mums don’t want to have to take every dirty nappy on family days out.