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Dads using female communal changing room

712 replies

Strawberrryfields · 23/01/2026 15:50

Not sure how I feel about this so looking for opinions and whether I should do anything.

A couple of times recently I’ve been changing my child after swimming and a dad has come in to change his child in the communal female changing room. It’s after lessons so only children changing. There are communal female, communal male and a number of individual cubicles. It gets very busy at peak times so at times you may need to wait for an individual cubicle.

It feels weird to me a grown man being in there and my instinct is that he should use the private cubicles, though he is clearly there with his child helping them get ready. I also understand him not wanting to take his child into the men’s communal changing rooms with random men in there but to me, he is a random man.

Should I say something? Would you? Chances are it’s just a normal dad changing his kid but I don’t feel entirely comfortable with it but not sure if IABU?

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Taztoy · 28/01/2026 17:35

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 17:30

There is a very easy way not to be "tagged": don't tag me.

I have not even mentioned you - just referred to you. You have decided to take offence and tag me - and then complain that I reply? I'm sorry - this is too complicated for me.

But perhaps let me explain: if you ask someone a direct question, most people assume you expect a reply. And if you post in a public form, you have - unfortunately - deal with the fact that someone might respond to you.

You tagged me by quoting me. That is how quoting someone works.

please don’t do so again.
Please don’t refer to me. You referred to me as a “friend” - I know no one here.

keep my name out of your mouth. Don’t refer to me.

the word is no.

the fact you cannot respect it is telling.

once again, I am asking you not to tag me, not to quote me and not to refer to me.

thank you.

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 17:30

Taztoy · 28/01/2026 17:22

You did tag me. That’s what quoting does.

And it’s definitely not slanderous. And it would be libel anyway. If it was. Which it’s not.

There is a very easy way not to be "tagged": don't tag me.

I have not even mentioned you - just referred to you. You have decided to take offence and tag me - and then complain that I reply? I'm sorry - this is too complicated for me.

But perhaps let me explain: if you ask someone a direct question, most people assume you expect a reply. And if you post in a public form, you have - unfortunately - deal with the fact that someone might respond to you.

Letsgo2026 · 28/01/2026 17:28

eastegg · 28/01/2026 16:59

Oh FFS you lot give over. It takes more than one to properly derail a thread. It’s now turned into ‘will a certain poster mention another certain poster’. Take it somewhere else.

It’s like watching kids squabbling in a playground isn’t it 😂

Taztoy · 28/01/2026 17:22

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 17:07

I did not tag anyone - just stop lying. Accusing me of targeting anyone deliberately is rather slanderous.

You did tag me. That’s what quoting does.

And it’s definitely not slanderous. And it would be libel anyway. If it was. Which it’s not.

Taztoy · 28/01/2026 17:21

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 17:07

I did not tag you and deliberately did not name you - but it is impossible not to refer to someone who said something if this is a topic of discussion.

You participate voluntarily in a public forum - so you need to accept that people read you and refer to you.

Well that will tell everyone all they need to know.

shame. But there we are.

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 17:07

RedToothBrush · 28/01/2026 15:41

He won't because he knows it annoys you to tag you. So he'll deliberately persist. He's actively targeting you.

(And I'm happy to be proved wrong on this one because it means he's no longer doing it after you have asked twice. If I'm right he shows himself as actively harassing you).

I did not tag anyone - just stop lying. Accusing me of targeting anyone deliberately is rather slanderous.

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 17:07

Taztoy · 28/01/2026 15:35

You know. I asked someone not to tag me. And said I’d no interest in interacting with them.

and they still couldn’t keep my name out their mouth. With their “your friend”.

Let me be clear @Alex122022 keep my name out your mouth. Don’t tag me. Don’t refer to me.

I don’t want to interact with you or have you mention me any more.

the word is no Alex.

Respect it.

Astounded that I had to type this.

I did not tag you and deliberately did not name you - but it is impossible not to refer to someone who said something if this is a topic of discussion.

You participate voluntarily in a public forum - so you need to accept that people read you and refer to you.

eastegg · 28/01/2026 16:59

Oh FFS you lot give over. It takes more than one to properly derail a thread. It’s now turned into ‘will a certain poster mention another certain poster’. Take it somewhere else.

Taztoy · 28/01/2026 15:56

RedToothBrush · 28/01/2026 15:41

He won't because he knows it annoys you to tag you. So he'll deliberately persist. He's actively targeting you.

(And I'm happy to be proved wrong on this one because it means he's no longer doing it after you have asked twice. If I'm right he shows himself as actively harassing you).

Let’s see.

I have my suspicions but I’d be more than happy to be proven wrong.

RedToothBrush · 28/01/2026 15:41

Taztoy · 28/01/2026 15:35

You know. I asked someone not to tag me. And said I’d no interest in interacting with them.

and they still couldn’t keep my name out their mouth. With their “your friend”.

Let me be clear @Alex122022 keep my name out your mouth. Don’t tag me. Don’t refer to me.

I don’t want to interact with you or have you mention me any more.

the word is no Alex.

Respect it.

Astounded that I had to type this.

He won't because he knows it annoys you to tag you. So he'll deliberately persist. He's actively targeting you.

(And I'm happy to be proved wrong on this one because it means he's no longer doing it after you have asked twice. If I'm right he shows himself as actively harassing you).

Namelessnelly · 28/01/2026 15:37

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 15:31

Actually @Namelessnelly, you have not. But I like the fact that you keep derailing this thread.

Do you happen to be an "MRA"?

Oooh love a good bit of DARVO. So reminds me of the last person who tried to convince me men belonged in female spaces. At least you can’t physically assault me so there’s that. I’ll just accept you can’t name any third sex and reiterate no males belong in female spaces, however many young girls or babies they are accompanied by.

Taztoy · 28/01/2026 15:35

You know. I asked someone not to tag me. And said I’d no interest in interacting with them.

and they still couldn’t keep my name out their mouth. With their “your friend”.

Let me be clear @Alex122022 keep my name out your mouth. Don’t tag me. Don’t refer to me.

I don’t want to interact with you or have you mention me any more.

the word is no Alex.

Respect it.

Astounded that I had to type this.

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 15:31

Namelessnelly · 28/01/2026 15:08

Already done that one. So gone on, name this third sex. And yes it does need a name to exist. Otherwise how does anyone know it exists? Now I’m sure you’ll have it ready to hand.

Actually @Namelessnelly, you have not. But I like the fact that you keep derailing this thread.

Do you happen to be an "MRA"?

Namelessnelly · 28/01/2026 15:08

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 14:11

Why does it have to have a specific name to exist? But since @Namelessnelly and @oldtiredcyclist are so keen on attaching labels on someone:

What sex do you assign to a person that has testes and ovaries? Are they male or female?

Already done that one. So gone on, name this third sex. And yes it does need a name to exist. Otherwise how does anyone know it exists? Now I’m sure you’ll have it ready to hand.

HighStreetOtter · 28/01/2026 14:43

liveforsummer · 28/01/2026 14:11

Poor OP’s post has been totally hijacked. Of course the man in the hanging room was a man and of course he shouldn’t have been there. People should start their own thread if they want to debate something vaguely related 🙈

Absolutely. I'm sick of the attempted deflection to divert attention away from the unacceptable behaviour of a man. I'm sick of trying to spin the narrative around to talk about an extremely rare condition which has no relevance to this thread.

I'm not going to engage with people trying to turn this into something it isn't. If that poster wants to start a thread I will happily engage there. But I'm sick of when women try to highlight a very real issue that others will come along and try and turn the conversation into something else.

Ultimately we know it's wrong for a man to be in a female only space. Thankfully the law backs us up on that. Female only spaces have to be provided.

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 14:11

Why does it have to have a specific name to exist? But since @Namelessnelly and @oldtiredcyclist are so keen on attaching labels on someone:

What sex do you assign to a person that has testes and ovaries? Are they male or female?

liveforsummer · 28/01/2026 14:11

Poor OP’s post has been totally hijacked. Of course the man in the hanging room was a man and of course he shouldn’t have been there. People should start their own thread if they want to debate something vaguely related 🙈

Namelessnelly · 28/01/2026 14:08

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 12:10

Funny - isn't it? One of your 'friends' claimed everyone who was not female must be male, which was as wrong as all the other claims about legality and safeguarding.

I appreciate that you dislike dissent - it's something I've noticed early on. But do you really think that suppressing dissent is really the way to convince people?

So what other sexes are there except male and female? If someone is not male or female what sex are they? I’m sure you’re not still dragging people with a VSD into it, so please make these other sexes, the gametes they produce and the role they play in reproduction. Or admit you’re a liar.

oldtiredcyclist · 28/01/2026 13:54

eastegg · 28/01/2026 13:42

Get off this thread immediately with your sensible, relevant post!!! 😂. It’s about 3 people arguing about intersex now you know.

Yes, I know, but I have reached the grand old age of 67 and still don't know what the third sex is Grin. I mean - male, female, ???

eastegg · 28/01/2026 13:42

KoiTetra · 28/01/2026 12:21

Very weird! As a man who takes his daughter to swimming sessions I will always use the family cubicles and would be happy to wait for them if needed (we would probably stand under a shower to keep warm while waiting).

If on a super rare occurrence we were in a desperate rush to get home and had to get ready asap and there was no other option we would use the men's changing and would find a quiet corner.

Never would it cross my mind to use the women's, that is a violation and weird to me.

Get off this thread immediately with your sensible, relevant post!!! 😂. It’s about 3 people arguing about intersex now you know.

SpikeGilesSandwich · 28/01/2026 13:42

Nearly50omg · 23/01/2026 16:59

Put a towelling robe over them straight from pool and pop into car and home for a hot shower and change! It’s not brain surgery

Not everyone has a car! We have to walk 30 mins home, not doing that in a towel in winter! 🥶

KoiTetra · 28/01/2026 12:21

Very weird! As a man who takes his daughter to swimming sessions I will always use the family cubicles and would be happy to wait for them if needed (we would probably stand under a shower to keep warm while waiting).

If on a super rare occurrence we were in a desperate rush to get home and had to get ready asap and there was no other option we would use the men's changing and would find a quiet corner.

Never would it cross my mind to use the women's, that is a violation and weird to me.

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 12:10

RedToothBrush · 28/01/2026 09:56

The Dad in the changing room with the developmental disorder that he didn't know about but somehow was still able to reproduce a biological daughter or was aware enough of his infertility to have planned for a non biological daughter?

That Dad?

Funny - isn't it? One of your 'friends' claimed everyone who was not female must be male, which was as wrong as all the other claims about legality and safeguarding.

I appreciate that you dislike dissent - it's something I've noticed early on. But do you really think that suppressing dissent is really the way to convince people?

RedToothBrush · 28/01/2026 09:56

HighStreetOtter · 28/01/2026 09:49

Ok, sure. And do we think the dad in the women’s changing room had this issue?

The Dad in the changing room with the developmental disorder that he didn't know about but somehow was still able to reproduce a biological daughter or was aware enough of his infertility to have planned for a non biological daughter?

That Dad?

HighStreetOtter · 28/01/2026 09:49

Alex122022 · 28/01/2026 09:26

Let's use the word "determined". But a chromosome test is not sufficient - unless of course you consider the presence of a single Y-chromosome sufficient to identify someone as "male". One could have a male karyotype and still a female phenotype.

Ok, sure. And do we think the dad in the women’s changing room had this issue?

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