A father named Tyler Brodsky took his two young daughters into an empty women's restroom at a QuikTrip convenience store during a road trip from Florida to Oklahoma. A man called the police, leading to a viral TikTok video that has garnered 4.7 million likes and 28.6 million views.
Incident Details
In the TikTok clip, a disgruntled customer is seen opening the door to the ladies' toilets while on the phone to the police. One of Tyler's daughters can be heard crying. Tyler wrote in the caption: 'The women's restroom was empty, so I took them in. I'd rather do that than bring two little girls into a men's bathroom full of grown men and dirty stalls. This guy comes barging in yelling, scares my daughters, and somehow thinks THEY should've been in the men's room instead. Am I wrong here?'
The shop's female manager intervened, apologising to Tyler and comforting the girls, offering them paper to dry their hands. The overwhelming majority of commenters sided with the father. User Brittani wrote: 'As a woman with no kids, you did nothing wrong. Your little girl crying and scared broke my heart. Keep being an amazing dad.'
Police Response
Tyler later posted an update, saying three officers arrived within five minutes. He stated: 'One of the officers was talking to me and the man, and explained that the situation wasn't as black and white as many people may think. They pointed out that taking two little girls into the men's restroom could be viewed just as negatively as me being in the woman's restroom with my girls. They tried to make sense of it, tried to understand both perspectives, but ultimately, there was really nothing that they could do. They did let me know that I was okay, that I didn't do anything wrong. They were very reassuring.'
Legal Context
In the UK, it is not a criminal offence for a man to enter a female toilet or vice versa. However, following a landmark Supreme Court ruling that the definition of a woman under the Equality Act should be based on biological sex, the UK Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued guidance stating that single-sex spaces, including public toilets and changing rooms, should be used in accordance with 'biological sex.' The advisory body warned that where gender-neutral spaces are not offered, this could discriminate against transgender people. Tammy Hymas, policy lead at campaign group TransActual, told Metro: 'The government wants to sign off in secret on a bathroom ban that would exclude and segregate trans people from public life. The EHRC's proposals are not just unworkable in practice, but as the Commissioner highlights, would result in grave human rights violations.'
Additionally, parents could be breaking the law if they send a young child into a public toilet alone. The Children and Young Persons Act 1933 makes it an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. NSPCC guidance advises that children under 12 are rarely mature enough to be left alone for long periods, and babies, toddlers, and very young children should never be left alone.
Petition for Family Bathrooms
Tyler has started a petition encouraging more family bathrooms in public spaces, which has received over 2,000 signatures. The petition reads: 'Families are often left with impossible choices that can lead to uncomfortable, stressful, and sometimes unsafe situations. This issue affects fathers helping young daughters, mothers helping young sons, parents with multiple small children…every family deserves dignity, privacy, and a safe place to care for their loved ones. Together, we can help ensure that future generations have access to the privacy, safety, and dignity every family deserves.'
