Dads and male caregivers are being given a bum deal in toilets throughout the UK, according to a campaign that is pushing for a change in the law. The Bum Deal campaign , launched by the UK feminist organisation Love & Power and backed by Oxfam, the British Toilet Association (BTA) and parents, hopes to inspire a grassroots movement that will make baby changing facilities available to all parents and caregivers. Parents are being encouraged to join the organisation and track where facilities are available, as well as encourage their local restaurants, bars and council to provide baby changes for all.
The campaign is also pushing for legislative change that would make it a requirement for all restaurants and public toilets to have baby changing facilities available to men and women. “Every baby needs their bum changed at some point and it’s ridiculous to think that only mums can do that,” said Charlotte Fischer, a co-director of Love & Power. “Yet the vast majority of public toilets and many in bars and restaurants don’t have changing facilities at all, or only have changing facilities in areas used by women.
We want equality for all parents to be able to change their kids’ nappies. That’s good for mums, it’s good for dads and its good for babies.” No official data regarding changing facilities exists, but parent volunteers of the campaign researched 500 public toilets in their neighbourhoods across three towns and cities and found only 15% had baby change fa.
