A Florida man has become the face of a new gender-equality battle after photographs of him struggling to change his son's diaper in a men's bathroom went viral. Donte Palmer, 31, from St. Augustine, Florida was in a local restaurant with his wife and three sons when the youngest boy, 1-year-old Liam, needed changing.
Donte told BuzzFeed News he often drafts in 7-year-old Isaiah to help change Liam in public bathrooms because the vast majority of men's facilities do not include changing tables. In this case, Donte had to squat down, balancing Liam on his legs in the bathroom stall of a local Texas Roadhouse restaurant. Isaiah found the scene funny, Donte said, and started taking pictures, which the family found amusing at first. 'We got back to the table and that's when [Isaiah] showed me the pictures,' he explained to BuzzFeed.
His wife, however, pointed out the unfair discrepancy between the facilities provided for fathers as opposed to mothers. 'We as women, we don't have to come up with creative ways to change a diaper, and you have to get a ninja squad to change Liam,' she said to Donte, who later posted the photos on Instagram. 'What's the deal with not having changing tables in men's bathroom as if we don't exist!!' Donte wrote.
'Clearly, we do this often because look how comfortable my son is.' His photographs resonated with parents and have been shared thousands of times across different social media platforms, attracting numerous comments from people with the same problem. Instagram user 'jillk1964' wrote: 'Bravo to you for bringing attention to this!! It's crazy, that in the 21st century, there are no baby changing stations in every men's room!!' Another, 'han.davidson' said: 'Yes!! I've been saying this for so long! My husband can never do it when he's out, so he has to change her in the car!' Some people confessed that Donte had made them think about something they had not even realised was a problem. Donte himself said that until his wife pointed out the problem and he shared it online, he hadn't given much thought to the issue either.
It was only after other fathers commented in solidarity, saying they have had to put baby clothes on the floor and even put their children in sinks to change them, that he realised how widespread and unfair the problem is.' If there's no changing table available, then I do what I do to get it done,' he said. 'As a father, we need to be seen as an equal,' he said.' We're more than just protectors and providers. We're the stroller pushers [who] get up at 4 a.m. to warm bottles. 'My wife and I, we share everything equally. We cook and clean. We work hard equally.
'Clearly, we do this often because look how comfortable my son is.' His photographs resonated with parents and have been shared thousands of times across different social media platforms, attracting numerous comments from people with the same problem. Instagram user 'jillk1964' wrote: 'Bravo to you for bringing attention to this!! It's crazy, that in the 21st century, there are no baby changing stations in every men's room!!' Another, 'han.davidson' said: 'Yes!! I've been saying this for so long! My husband can never do it when he's out, so he has to change her in the car!' Some people confessed that Donte had made them think about something they had not even realised was a problem. Donte himself said that until his wife pointed out the problem and he shared it online, he hadn't given much thought to the issue either.
It was only after other fathers commented in solidarity, saying they have had to put baby clothes on the floor and even put their children in sinks to change them, that he realised how widespread and unfair the problem is.' If there's no changing table available, then I do what I do to get it done,' he said. 'As a father, we need to be seen as an equal,' he said.' We're more than just protectors and providers. We're the stroller pushers [who] get up at 4 a.m. to warm bottles. 'My wife and I, we share everything equally. We cook and clean. We work hard equally.
'Why do we share equal responsibility but society views us differently?' Donte hopes other fathers will join his #SquatForChange campaign and post pictures of themselves changing their children without a table. He wants to raise as much awareness as he can for the issue. 'I believe as many fathers will continue to do this around the world...change will happen,' he said.