No sir, don't mind me. You go right ahead and pee. I'm just changing my baby's diaper.

We were attending a graduation at one of those ginormous churches. I purposefully sat near an exit close to a bathroom since I had a baby with me and would inevitably need to change a diaper. We had been there about twenty minutes when the inevitable happened...all over the back of my son's jumper and on the white slacks I was wearing. It was the brown stuff. But my mom-friends and mom-how-to books had prepared me for this moment--I had a change of clothes for my baby, a plastic garbage bag (for the soiled ones), plenty of baby wipes and a stain stick for my pants in my diaper bag. What they hadn't prepared me for was changing his diaper in a men's bathroom surrounded by urinals, one of which was in use when I went in and another as I was finishing up.

For whatever reason, the ladies bathroom was locked. I was not interested in walking around the stadium sized building to the next closest ladies room. So I just went into the men's room, said excuse me to the guy who was, at the moment, doing what men do in urinals, and proceeded to change my son's diaper on the vanity next to the sink. I was like, "Excuse me, I am so sorry, but the ladies room is locked." Over his shoulder, half looking at me,  he was like, "Naw, that's alright, it's cool." Then he finished up and left. After a few minutes another guy came in. I apologized to him too and explained my presence and without missing a beat on his way to the urinal he was like, "Naw, you alright." Then he proceeded to use it, washed his hands next to me when he was done and left.

I was shocked and impressed by how nonchalant those guys were at me being in their space. As far fetched as it may be, I wonder if a woman walked into the ladies room and saw a man there changing a diaper, if she'd be as cool about it.

Comments

[wounded healer]

LOL!
I have gone into the women's room and heard a man come in, use the stall next to mine, and almost pass out when he saw me washing my hands. He ran out - without washing his hands - when I confirmed for him that he was in the ladies' room.
I have no problems with it as long as there is a stall to hide what I don't want them to see. And if I need to fix my make-up it probably doesn't matter to me if he sees me cuz I'm sure I'm not trying to look naturally beautiful for him.
This post truly made my day.

[Paulasoul]

"Naw, you alright."

That's hilarious! Dudes are so laid back. I love it!

[Honest]

too funny. I've used the mens room in a bar/club when I was younger and didn't want to wait for the looooooooooong ladies room line. One of the dudes was pissed and yelled at my friend and I. I think I would be weirded out to see a man use the ladies room but since we don't have urinals I guess it would be ok. lol!

[sally]

Well, he'd have to have some major baby-created mess all over some *really* nice pants.

Seriously, though, I think most women might be cool with it, especially since we have stalls. But there's always the shrill one...

[summer]

co-sign with paula.

i love guys. they're so cool. and bravo to you for quick-thinking and keeping such a cool head. but as i type that, i think, "that's pretty much how you roll."

[Terri]

I third paula and summer. i would have gone into complete panic and mortification.