Family, Kids & Relationships

Girl dad dilemma: Does it make more sense to use the men’s or women’s restroom?

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A recent TikTok video of brothers Andrew Loffa and Michael Colletti kicked off a huge debate about which bathroom is the right one for dads to take their young daughters into when they need to use the restroom. 

One “girl dad” takes his child into the women’s restroom because it’s cleaner and there are no urinals, while the other takes his daughter into the men’s room and uses a stall to avoid making other men uncomfortable.

Commenters piled on with their takes, many agreeing that the gender of the parent determines the gender of the bathroom. However, lots of people pushed back and insisted that little girls should go into the women’s bathroom, as long as their dads announce themselves as they enter. Another sticking point is the lack of changing tables in men’s restrooms, sometimes forcing dads to enter the women’s restroom, whether they would normally choose that option or not. 

Some popular comments included:

  • “The parent’s gender determines which bathroom to go, rule of thumb.”
  • “We welcome the girl dads into the restroom. Just yell ‘girl dad entering!’”
  • “I would prefer my husband announce himself and bring our girls into the women’s.”
  • “My dad used to bring me to the guys’ bathroom and have me close my eyes until we got into the stall! Never was a problem to me or my mom! Whatever you prefer, I think.”
  • “Wanted to add! PSA, CAN WE PLEASE NORMALIZE CHANGING TABLES IN MENS’ BATHROOMS?! I’m tired of never being able to get out of potty changes when out with baby and baby’s father lol.”

Of course, more gender-neutral family restrooms in public spaces would help prevent this dilemma.

Polls across the internet are split on which bathroom girl dads should use. What do you think?

Girl Dads + bathrooms
Should dads take their daughters into the men's or women's restroom, if those are the only options? *

Mckenna Saady is a staff writer and digital content lead for ParentsTogether. Before working for nonprofits such as the Human Rights Campaign and United Way, Mckenna spent nearly a decade as a child care provider and Pre-K teacher. Originally from Richmond, VA, she now lives in Philadelphia and writes poetry, fiction, and children’s literature in her spare time.