Pampers to install 5,000 baby changing tables in men's restrooms after viral image of father struggling to change son's diaper sparks outrage
Pampers has announced that they will be installing around 5,000 baby changing tables in men's restrooms all across the United States and Canada as part of a new campaign, which was triggered by a viral social media post last year that sparked outrage among fathers.
According to a press release by Pampers, its researchers found that 9 out of 10 dads have gone into public restrooms at some point that did not have baby changing stations and they had to struggle to do the needful.
The 'Love the Change' campaign was inspired by a picture taken in October last year when a father, Dante Palmer, was shown squatting against a wall in a restroom and using his legs to make a makeshift table to change his son's diaper.
Palmer wrote in his Instagram post, "This is a serious post!!! What’s the deal with not having changing tables in men’s bathroom as if we don’t exist!!"
"Clearly we do this often because look how comfortable my son is. It’s routine to him!!!! Let’s fix this problem! I Kaepernick drop a knee to this issue! Let’s show the innovation of fathers!" Palmer added.
The post resulted in a movement to install baby changing tables in men's restrooms along with the hashtag #SquatForChange. Pampers took up the challenge and the new initiative will be launched with an ad campaign which will encourage fathers to share how they bond with their babies while doing diaper changes.
500 'high-need' locations such as Cincinnati, Dallas, and Detroit, amongst several other cities, will receive the new changing tables over the next few weeks.
Pampers has shared that the men's restrooms should match up to the responsibilities of modern-day fathers. As part of the company's initiative, the changing tables will be installed in public areas such as parks and libraries.
In order to mark the campaign, Pampers spokesman and also father of two John Legend appeared in a video with other fathers. Legend spoke about how fathers deal with the absence of changing tables in male restroom.
"I am so excited to play a role in Pampers’ Love the Change campaign. I love being a hands-on dad, and it is so important that we acknowledge the active role dads are playing in their babies’ lives." He added, "Dads have to resort to all these maneuvers because there's no changing stations in our restrooms."
"Spending time out and about with my kids is one of the greatest joys in my life, but it’s frustrating when I am out with Miles and the men’s restroom doesn’t have a baby changing table. I’m proud to support Pampers as it paves the way for more inclusive parenting by providing all of us dads out there with the tools we need to succeed."