Donte Palmer (left) started the Squat for Change campaign last year to have changing tables in men’s loos (Picture: Instagram/@squatforchange)

It’s usually women’s toilets and disabled/family toilets that have baby changing facilities – what does that say about gender norms?

Public spaces are affecting how we attribute parental responsibility. In short, it seems to be the mum’s role to change the baby’s nappy.

But dads travelling with their children also need the space. Sometimes where there are no public facilities, they have to resort to squatting on the floor and using their knees as changing tables.

So dad Donte Palmer, who runs Instagram account Three Boys One Goal, started a campaign #Squatforchange, which went viral after he published an image of himself changing his son’s nappy on his lap.




His post received almost 10,00 likes. Other dads jumped on board, expressing support for the movement as they too have had to use uncomfortable makeshift spaces to accommodate their children’s bathroom needs.

Now, Donte’s campaigning has paid off as Pampers has agreed to install 5,000 changing tables in men’s bathrooms across the U.S and Canada by 2021.

They’ve even got John Legend involved in the campaign, urging dads to use the hashtag #lovethechange to direct more attention to the problem. He’s urged dads and parents to post a picture bonding with their children using the hashtag and for each post, Pampers will provide an extra changing station.

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‘This campaign is changing the narrative of what a father is, the dynamics of what a marriage looks like, like showing that marriage equality is important,’ Donte explains to Metro.co.uk.

‘My wife and I do everything equally – diaper changing is not just my wife’s job, it’s my job as well.

‘A lot of dads can relate – dads from the U.S, South America, Uganda, Canda. They’re all helping me to push.

‘They’re pushing the message because dads need the resources and that’s what we’re getting. Pampers are heroes. We’re partners now and it’s really making a difference to the world as we see it today.

‘With this partnership, it’s really embracing a parent and I’m so honoured.’

Dads regularly send in pictures squatting in public restrooms to Donte’s Instagram account (Picture: @Squatforchange/Instagram)

Donte said it was humbling and overwhelming to get so much attention from around the globe when he went viral last year.

‘I just ran with it and embraced it and wanted to continue to push a great initiative like Squat For Change,’ he says.

So Pampers joined forces with Koala Care which provides baby changing stations in toilets to provide facilities across parks and recreation centres, community centres and libraries.

Done added: ‘I’m excited, I’m honoured, I’m using the moment to teach my boys that if you have a dream, if you have an issue with something, open your mouth, chase it, go attack that thing you want and it’ll come.

‘That’s why I’ve been giving my heart to this campaign to change men’s lives. I’m proud to have a huge partnership with Pampers and Koala Care which will help people really receive my message.’

Let’s hope that suit isn’t ruined by the contents of that nappy (Picture: @Squatforchange/Instagram)

And Donte’s not ready to stop the campaign there. He wants it to go even further.



‘I won’t stop because I want to see the world change and that’s my goal. My goal is to get these tables around the world.

‘I want the U.K to get involved too because you guys are parents too and deserve to see that change.’

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