City acknowledges that dads change diapers too

Dads can have a rough time out in the world when baby’s diaper needs changing. Men aren’t welcome in women’s restrooms, and few men’s rooms have diaper-changing stations. What’s a dad to do? Austin City Council to the rescue! Council approved a resolution June 19 recognizing that “gender norms have changed, and fathers and other male caregivers frequently now share in the full range of joys and responsibilities associated with parenthood.” The resolution directs the city manager to look into the feasibility of installing diaper-changing stations in all city restrooms so that Austin will truly be more family friendly. The charge toward gender-neutral access to diaper-changing tables was spearheaded by District 8 Council Member Paige Ellis. After hearing from constituents who described the variety of creative methods they were using for changing diapers in public, Ellis told Spectrum News, “It just seems like we could be doing better.”