Mummy Buzz

Apr
20
2015

Ashton Kutcher will Fight for Your Right to...Diaper?

Oh, the indignity! the injustice!

Ashton_Kutcher_Diaper_Rights

Ashton Kutcher has a cause. It doesn't have to do with climate change or animal rights. It has to do with diapers. Yes, diapers.

Ever since becoming a dad, the actor/director noticed the gross injustice plaguing the majority of public bathrooms across the nation: there are never diaper change stations in men's public washrooms.

Kutcher tweeted about the inequality, promising a shout out on his Facebook page to the first business he came across with a change table in the men's bathroom.

So disgruntled was Kutcher that he used his celebrity to start a Change.org petition to bring attention to the issue. Two bills are now being considered in California.

He's not alone in his chagrin. New York State Senator, Brad Hoylman -- having changed his daughter on "“pee-covered floor next to a urinal” one too many times - has just drafted a bill that would see all new or renovated bathrooms in the state include changing stations in both men's and women's restrooms. And the relevant businesses, rather than the state, would fit the bill for the renos.

RELATED: How to Keep Little Bums From Squirming at Change Time

Of course existing buildings don't have to change, but you have to start somewhere and new builds and renos are the way to go.

And let's face it, this is not only an issue that concerns straight fathers. It affects increasing numbers of gay parents, too. The more pragmatic move would be to install more family bathrooms so that parents travelling solo or with more than one child in tow can get the job done without the incumbent headache.

After all, we are capable of space travel and even capable of engineering espresso in space. Why can't we get adequate baby changing facilities in all public bathrooms? 

If Hoylman's bill gets the green light on April 17, it will go into effect immediately.

Are change tables necessary in men's washrooms, or is there a better solution?

Image Source: WikiCommons