The rights of fathers in parents' rooms are under the spotlight after a man changing his son's nappy was labelled a "sicko" by a woman in a Queensland shopping centre.

The experience — shared on a Sunshine Coast-based Facebook page — has raised the ire of hundreds of people.

Another woman who witnessed the exchange said the man, who was changing his infant son's nappy, was told to get out of the room by a woman who entered with her two children.

"She said, 'It's only for mothers! Get out of here, you sicko'."

"[She said] she would call security and say he was staring at her naked kids if he didn't leave the room.

"He picked up his son who mind you didn't even have a clean nappy on yet and went to stand outside the door."

The response on the ABC Brisbane Facebook page showed the man was not alone:

"I've had security called on me for taking my daughter into a parents' room to change her nappy. Security basically told her to to pull her head in as I was clearly changing a baby." - Ben

"Happened to me twice now. Thank goodness my little boy is out of nappies now." - Matt

"Happened to me many years ago when my son was about a year old. A lady asked me why I couldn't be changing my son's nappy in the men's "restrooms". My response to her was that I would if she went and fed her baby in the women's restrooms." - Mark

"My hubby's been given death stares while in the parents room changing our daughters' nappies *with me*. No I will not make my husband wait outside while I change the nappies of two children and then feed the baby. He changes nappies at home and wherever they need to be changed. He'll change them in the parents' room too thank you very much." - Sandra

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Others were bewildered by the woman's words.

"Not all caregivers have vaginas. Get over it." - Jessica

"Where does it say it's only for mothers? Isn't it for PARENTS? What about non-gender-specific parents? What about guardians? Nannies? Friends who are looking after a child?" - Pete

"This kind of attitude drives me wild. It is the same kind of thing as the anti-breastfeeding crowd". - Tony

Shine Lawyers discrimination law expert William Barsby said all caregivers — regardless of sex — were allowed into parents' rooms.

"Dads, granddads, uncles … any caregiver who is looking after a child and needs to take care of a child and use those facilities that are offered in a public setting have access to these types of facilities," he said.

"What we're seeing here is an example of someone being indirectly discriminated against because of their sex.

"In Australia we have very strong laws that prohibit that type of behaviour."

Mr Barsby said in this particular situation while there was no direct action that would be worthwhile pursuing or even enforceable against the woman, he hoped it would raise awareness about the rights of men in the parents' room.