An embarrassed father left a shopping centre parents' room with his naked son in his arms after a woman declared the room was "only for mothers" and told him to "get out you sicko", according to a second mother who witnessed the exchange.
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Tamika Ives said she came to the man's defence, bringing him back to the change room where he had left his belongings and told the abusive woman that she would "100% back the dad up" after the attacker threatened to call security.
The 18-year-old posted about the incident on Facebook and was shocked by the number of people who had seen fathers face similar situations.
Ms Ives said she shared details of the incident on the Sunny Coast Community Board Facebook group after witnessing other women staring at fathers in parents' rooms and mumbling rude comments under their breath.
The initial confrontation happened at Kawana Shoppingworld about a month ago when Ms Ives took her nine-month-old daughter Savannah into the parents' room.
While Ms Ives was in the room another woman, who had two boys with her, began abusing a father who was changing his son's nappy, saying the room was "only for mothers" and telling him to "get out you sicko".
She also threatened to call security and allege the man was staring at her children if he didn't leave the room.
Despite being midway through changing his son's nappy, the father picked up his naked child, abandoned his belongings and stood outside the room.
"I kinda wasn't sure at first if I should say anything because I had my nine-month-old with me, but as soon as she started saying she was going to falsely accuse the dad of being a pervert, that was when I decided I wasn't going to let him stand there and cop it," Ms Ives said.
The Sunshine Coast mother brought the dad back into the change room and told the woman that she would support the man if accusations were made to security guards.
"There were a lot of other mums in there at the time, but they sat and turned away," Ms Ives said.
The abusive woman sat down and stared at the man and his son until they had finished.
"I waited for him to finish, then we left together while the woman was still sitting there on her phone with her kids in the playpen," Ms Ives said.
"I just think it's ridiculous, I can't believe some women act like that. He's a parent, he's a dad and I think it's disgusting."
Ms Ives' Facebook post attracted plenty of supportive comments from fellow parents.
"I'm a dad n (sic) copped the same whenever I had to change my sons (sic) nappy. Didn't move just told them to did (sic) whatever they needed to do to feel better about themselves," one man wrote.
"Love this! I don't even have a baby and would walk in and stand up for a dad who needs to change their child, like what if they're a single parent? Some real ignorant people out there," another comment read.
"How disgusting! Would she prefer the man to change the baby on the mens (sic) room floor? The parents (sic) room is for PARENTS. I have been in there many times and seen guys in there and actually think it's awesome that they are there," another reader posted.
Ms Ives said she hoped her experiences had brought attention to the issue.
"They shouldn't have to plaster posters around (the room) saying dads are welcome too," she said.
