Just in case you lost confidence in feminism and politics, president Michel Aoun signed the Babies Act on Friday, demanding that changing tables be made available in all bathrooms of public buildings, even the rooms of the men. Because dads must also change diapers. It is not much to oppose, for example, MPs who ridicule other men in Parliament for considering updating archaic laws on sexual harassment, but sometimes it is better to focus on small things. For example, men can change the diaper of their own baby in public toilets.
The bill was proposed in January by Paula Yacoubian following a suggestion by الهيئة الوطنيّة لشؤون المرأة اللّبنانيّة, before being quickly presented to the office of the president who quickly pushed through it without worrying about public backlash. It is not often that the legislative process advances so quickly, but this was too obvious to slow down. We would love to know the justification of the deputies who voted against this bill!
For now, it’s only in public buildings. So, when you’re in public but in a private restaurant, for example, you’re still likely to be out of luck. But we have to start somewhere. Change offices are not mandatory if the public building already has one in an accessible bathroom located on the same floor or if the bathroom of the public building is not intended for the public.
Armigatus 
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