M&S bows to PC brigade with baby signs for the gents toilets
MARKS & SPENCER has been forced to change its toilet signs after they were denounced as sexist by shoppers.
Even police weighed into the row, which started after a customer pointed out that the pink female signs show a woman with a baby, while the blue male icons have only a man in a tie.
Critics said the signs suggest that women should be the only parent looking after a child, even though many of the stores’ male toilets are equipped with baby changing mats.
The high street chain yesterday finally bowed to social media pressure and agreed to add an image of a child to all its signs for male toilets which have baby changing facilities. It had initially refused to change them but altered its stance after a backlash online.
However, some supported Marks & Spencer’s original stance, one person saying some people ‘walk around wondering what to get offended at’.
The debate was sparked by shopper Sharon Sawyer, 48, who took a picture of the signs at a Marks & Spencer store in Shoreham, West Sussex.
In a public Facebook message addressed to the shop, Mrs Sawyer, from Worthing, wrote: ‘I was surprised and disappointed.
‘I expected being a family store that you understood that families very much share children’s needs and care, not just women. The picture shows a woman and child. The picture in the comments just shows a man, why?’
She added: ‘It has nothing to do with baby changing. They are the entrances to the male and female toilets, there are no baby changing facilities in the toilets. It’s sexist for all concerned, men and women. Symbols mean a lot.’
The signs are in Marks & Spencer stores across the country, although a spokesman stressed it does not appear in newer shops.
The designs were also condemned by Sergeant Peter Allan, the hate crime and transgender equality advocate for Sussex Police. Replying to the Facebook message, Sergeant Allan said: ‘This should not still be happening in 2017.’
An M&S spokesman said: ‘Our baby changing facilities are in a unisex area and we also provide a baby changing mat in the male and female toilet facilities.’
‘It’s sexist for all concerned’