Restroom Ban: Boys Over 6 Not Welcome In Women’s Restroom

A restroom ban for boys six-and-up has social media abuzz with anger.

The sign, initially posted to the Oklahoma City Moms blog, according to Huffington Post, reads plainly that boys over six should use the men’s restroom, making some Moms feel guilty if they’re out with their male children and aren’t comfortable about leaving them alone.

For Maria Mora of the Yahoo! Parenting blog, such a sign wouldn’t do any good. She would simply ignore it and drag her “embarrassed sons” (6 and 9) into the ladies’ room because she’s not comfortable sending them somewhere “I can’t follow.”

HuffPo’s community was a little more divided.

“I work in a Secured Hospital setting where we treat individuals with mental illnesses and also sex offenders. So when I see this sign I think ‘Hey pedophiles, come into this bathroom and target my child,'” said Vicky Erickson.

Rebecca Albanese, however, didn’t have a problem with the restroom ban, feeling that a 6-year-old boy, who would have to follow into the women’s restroom “must have a parent(s) who has/have not taught him any social or public survival skills.”

“You can’t wipe his behind forever,” Albanese added. “I know some 30 or 40 somethings that are precursors to this coddling behavior. Parents, turn off the TV, computers and game consoles and teach your kids how to do basic public things.”

Karen Evans agreed with Albanese’s take, sharing experiences where male children accompanying their mom into the women’s restroom have “under stalls into ones I am using.”

“Especially since when I have said something, the moms acted as though I took their child from them into the stall with me. But while I worried about my son going into public restrooms alone, I also allowed him to as I stood outside the door listening to him, after teaching him to hollar if anyone was inappropriate,” Evans said.

Evans’ concerns are likely what fueled this undisclosed business to post the sign in the first place. While it is unrealistic to think that a mother going solo with her 7-year-old boy should leave him unattended as she uses the bathroom, policing one’s child in the restroom is expected by most restroom patrons.

But what do you think about the sign above, readers?

Is this one restroom ban that goes too far? If you saw it, would you ignore or obey? Sound off in the comments section.