Removal of Single Sex Sessions at Harrogate Turkish Baths

I've been to the baths dozens of times , since my early 20s- I'm now 50. Back in the day it was single sex sessions only- often filled with little old ladies - everyone able to enjoy it either being naked, wrapped in a towel or costumed. No judgement, no staring, peaceful and ( back then) cheap! It was modernised and became more of a destination- so you had to chose your session carefully to avoid the noise of hen parties etc. Mixed sessions started but still mainly single sex. Now they are mainly mixed sessions so I don't go very often at all. I don't want to be sweating in a cossie, conscious of my flabby post children body and feeling uncomfortable in my a confined space eg steam room or sauna with a strange man . Plus their voices and man spreading take over. I have replied.

Our local pool has women only sessions and these are popular with religious women. They are unlikely to attend mixed sessions as adults (although they will take their small kids to the small pool). Once the girls get to an age where they cover up, they won’t go to mixed sessions.

There is no power on earth that could get me to use Turkish baths (which for the record I've used and loved in the past) with adult men. It's meant to be a relaxing experience, and would be anything but if there were random adult males wandering around.

Filled it in. I've got zero interest in attending a mixed session.

I've been there several times and there's no way I'd feel relaxed or comfortable at a mixed session. I've filled out the survey to that effect. So that's at least one genuine user they'll lose if they scrap the women-only sessions.

My local health suite and swimming pool removed all single sex sessions, the health suite is now a men's club. I do still go because the spa pool really helps with my chronic pain condition but have often felt uncomfortable, I would say 90% of users are men.

I did write to them and talked to them but no change.

That gets my back up straight away

What gender are you? 😡

Responded, I go with friends and female only space is sacred

I commented that I thought this change would exclude more than it would include.
My friends and I have a yearly trip to a spa as a treat. Once we went (not sure if it was to Harrogate) and there was a couple having a treatment and although they were perfectly nice people and didn't actually interact with anyone else it subtlety changed the dynamic. Not in a good way. Conversation when the chap was in the same space stopped or became very stilted (not just my group, but all the women in there were less open and chatty).
One of my spa friends and I often swim together and sometimes go to the sauna in the leisure centre (Council run) if blokes are in there it's always less comfortable - even though not one of them has been inappropriate, the vibe is just more guarded.

How is excluding several women from religious backgrounds with prohibitions on mixed sex swimming "inclusive"? Shows their priorities.

Anyone else wondering if the issue was actually that a certain subset of the population with that little bit of extra equipment wanted to come to the ladies' session and get nekkid and free? And this was the only way the baths could stop it? No more single sex sessions, all mixed sex with cossies?

Of course this is the reason. And, rather than defend women's rights under the EA, it's just so much easier to take our services away, isn't it? After all, we're only women, so that does it matter?

Yup, not allowed to have nice things about sums it up.

Oh no!! This is a massive disaster! The Turkish Baths is one of the best things in Harrogate and you can be nekkid and freeee, just women.
Fuck. I won't go anymore and neither will any of my friends or family. Why are we not allowed to have nice things?!

A couple of times my son's swimming lesson took place at a health club that had a very small steam room just off the pool area. I went in while the lesson was in progress. Gradually a couple of men joined me and it dawned on me that I was sitting almost entirely naked in a dark steamy wooden cupboard with two strange men. I rapidly left and of course one of them had a good ogle as I climbed past him and down off the little wooden shelf.

Steam rooms involve relaxation, in very little clothing. Relaxation and little clothing can make women vulnerable. To think that single sex sessions aren't necessary is just bizarre...

I have been here a few times and it's lovely. Mixed sex would be very different.
Spa time for me is with female friends only.
I have filled it in as an occasional user. I honestly would not go to a mixed sex session. I'd just go elsewhere.

I love the baths. I have never gone to a mixed seen and never would.

Agree - we need to be more tactical. If you don't go to the baths but have filled in the survey, it's unhelpful to say so on here - you're just giving them an excuse to ignore the results

I agree too.

I'd rather see them get hit in the wallet and see how quickly they do a U-turn. But then of course that means many women missing out in the mean time.

I’m normally a lurker on FWR and but just filled this in. I’m from Harrogate, I’ve been to both mixed and single sex sessions and they’re very different. I probably wouldn’t go to a mixed session (specifically the steam room) on my own without my husband, but have been to the single sex ones on my own with a book several times and it’s fabulous.

As I remember the changing rooms open directly onto the entry corridor and are only curtained.

I paraphrased some of the pp in my response - put much more eloquently than I would manage on my own!

Completed!

We're considering the removal of single sex sessions from the timetable at the Turkish Baths in Harrogate to reflect the increase spotlight on equality and balance across the world

This is absurd. Sex segregation is woven into the DNA of Turkish baths. Does Harrogate not know this? This is an ancient cleansing tradition. It's laughable that its Western iteration doesn't understand that.

But I always thought the single sex sessions would be lovely because you didn't have to wear a cossie if I remember correctly - never actually got round to trying it out.

I've filled in too. Pointed out women who could no longer attend for religious reasons, and pulled them up on that whole what is your gender and assigned at birth bollocks at the end.

But yes, why don't they ask the females who come through the door to the female sessions? Guess they won't like the answer....

I live within about ten miles of Harrogate. LS postcode.

But yes, doing this online seems foolishness. They should be asking the people coming through the doors, putting out ads in local papers, etc.