Photo Courtesy of Muhammad Nitoto/ Instagram
In places where there are no gender-neutral bathrooms or a family restroom, fathers are left facing gendered bathrooms. One California dad has met this issue on countless occasions when he has stepped out with his young daughters, and he shared a post about this experience.
Muhammed Nitoto is the founder of “Chronicles of Daddy,” who recently shared his thoughts on Instagram when he posted a photo of himself and his two daughters entering a public restroom.
“Men’s bathrooms are DISGUSTING. They smell like pee, and nothing is set up for a woman or a person with a child. The changing table was right next to the urinal, which means my child literally would be next to where men pee [while] she’s being [changed],” he wrote. “After doing that one time, I decided I’d never take my daughter’s to the men’s bathroom again.” He said women’s bathrooms were infinitely cleaner everywhere in comparison. He also added that they were “set up perfect just in case. They have children.”
“As a dad being out with daughters, I never thought the bathroom would become as big a issue as it is,” Nitoto wrote. “Usually we would go places, and they have FAMILY bathroom, which are meant for people with children, but what I found was most places don’t have them, and dads are left to decide between taking their daughters to the men’s bathroom or the women’s.”
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In the beginning, Nitoto felt it was only suitable to use the men’s bathroom, but he soon realized the men’s bathroom was disgusting.
He then decided to use the women’s bathroom, but he was respectful about it.
“I try to be as respectful to women as I can while doing so, which consists of knocking on the door before entering and announcing myself,” Nitoto wrote. “Making sure if someone is inside that they know I am a Dad coming in with his daughter and making sure they are comfortable with that. Now once inside our stall, I still am aware of the door, and whenever I hear it open, and someone new is coming in, I announce myself again and make sure they know I’m inside with my child so that they aren’t surprised.”
Nitoto spoke to Good Morning America in the hope of sparking “the conversation for active fathers in the world.”
The “Chronicles of Daddy” founder said he wanted to assist with parenting by “showing support to other fathers who have been or will be in the same situation and offer them [my solution].”