The other women's toilets issue

I used to be a man who wanted to go into women's toilets. This wasn't a gender identity issue and I'm not a pervert. This had to do with the fact that I am the father of four daughters, who were once small girls.

The default position on fathers taking their daughters to a public toilet is that they should go together to the men's. This seems wrong, at least questionable. A small girl is vulnerable and impressionable. She shouldn't be subjected to potential trauma caused by the unwanted gaze of men in an intimate space, much less the sight of a line of urinating men at (her) eye-level. Also, toilet seats in the men's can be less than spotless.

There are valid issues to be considered from the grown women's perspective. An adult man in women's private spaces can be intimidating. But aren't they better equipped to deal with this than a little girl is with being in a men's toilet? Isn't it possible that the threat of the man's presence is largely mitigated by the fact that he is with a small girl?

Reactions from women who didn't want me to enter women's toilets, with a daughter, included:

"Where is their mother*?"
"Where is their didi?"
"The attendant can take care of them."
"I can take care of them."
"Let her manage on her own."

All responses unacceptable to a father and none seeing things from a little girl's perspective.

Some places have unisex "parents'"toilets, which is good. But until this is widespread, we need to at least think harder about this issue, as a matter of practicality and as a matter of principle.

(*"Where is their mother" also happened at airport security when I didn't want my girl child to be frisked behind curtains.)