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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Transwoman in the changing room at school pool

842 replies

PoolFloat · 05/08/2022 14:57

My mum goes to aqua aerobics classes at a sports club in a private school. Recently, a transwoman has joined the class. My mum was told that they use a different changing room to the one next to the pool but today they came out of the pool and put their swimming hat into a locker before returning to the pool to join the class (there is adult free swim beforehand).

The club has a safeguarding policy which states they will: prioritise the safety and well-being of children and adults at risk

I'm not sure if my mum is considered at risk? She is 88 and nearly all the women in the class are in their 70s and 80s.

The changing room has a communal area with only four cubicles so most women get changed in the communal area. Now they are reluctant to do so.

My mum has asked me to help her draft a letter from the women in the class saying how uncomfortable they are that this person is in their changing room but doesn't know how to word it.

Can anyone help please?

OP posts:
HooverIsAlwaysBroken · 05/08/2022 20:54

@Aurora231 I used to think as you. Believe me, I have the outmost compassion for anyone suffering.

but my understanding is that the transwoman entered the single sex, female changing room as women were changing? Some may have experienced sexual assault. Why do we think “poor transwoman, probably had a difficult life” and not “what if a woman in a state of undress had been sexually assaulted and was triggered by seeing a penis person go past when naked?”.

why are women’s feelings worth less than biological males?

LK1972 · 05/08/2022 20:53

Ah, I see it was removed before it could be cropped for Twitter, fair play MNHQ

LK1972 · 05/08/2022 20:51

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Nah, you're just 'giving ammunition', according to some Wink

I'm sure your post will be cropped and posted on Twitter soon enough as proof of terfy madness Smile

LK1972 · 05/08/2022 20:49

Aurora231 · 05/08/2022 20:46

The responses here are crazy, utterly crazy. Do you all realise that you are just giving ammunition to those who shout ‘terf’ whenever a woman raises an objection?
I believe that woman’s rights should not be trampled on but for goodness sake - this person is just minding their own business, enjoying using a swimming pool, using the communal facilities as suggested. For whatever reason they needed to put a swim cap in a locker. Maybe they got confused, maybe there are no lockers in the communal area, maybe they were given a key at reception and it was only for the women’s changing. All of those are infinitely more likely reasons than this person wanting to assault an elderly woman.
Some of you ought to be ashamed of what you have written here - it is transphobic and I don’t use that term lightly.

and the argument that most assaults against women are perpetuated by men. Ok well most violent crime in London is perpetuated by young impoverished black men. Shall we just lock them all up? Oh no, of course not. Because that’s racism.

I believe most transgender people have much more difficult lives than any of us can ever understand. That doesn’t mean that biological males should compete in female sports, or go to female prisons. But it a trans woman wants to quickly put a swim cap in a locker, ffs.

No, that person was meant to use separate changing space for the protection of women's dignity, fgs.

Are you really ok with you mother being semi-naked in the space with a clearly male stranger? Would she be ok with it?

HooverIsAlwaysBroken · 05/08/2022 20:47

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Aurora231 · 05/08/2022 20:46

The responses here are crazy, utterly crazy. Do you all realise that you are just giving ammunition to those who shout ‘terf’ whenever a woman raises an objection?
I believe that woman’s rights should not be trampled on but for goodness sake - this person is just minding their own business, enjoying using a swimming pool, using the communal facilities as suggested. For whatever reason they needed to put a swim cap in a locker. Maybe they got confused, maybe there are no lockers in the communal area, maybe they were given a key at reception and it was only for the women’s changing. All of those are infinitely more likely reasons than this person wanting to assault an elderly woman.
Some of you ought to be ashamed of what you have written here - it is transphobic and I don’t use that term lightly.

and the argument that most assaults against women are perpetuated by men. Ok well most violent crime in London is perpetuated by young impoverished black men. Shall we just lock them all up? Oh no, of course not. Because that’s racism.

I believe most transgender people have much more difficult lives than any of us can ever understand. That doesn’t mean that biological males should compete in female sports, or go to female prisons. But it a trans woman wants to quickly put a swim cap in a locker, ffs.

LK1972 · 05/08/2022 20:45

BiscuitLover3678 · 05/08/2022 20:38

Ok so what if the penis has been removed.
Is this person allowed to change in there? 🤷🏻‍♀️

At last, a more subtle question.

The answer is no, naked or semi-naked women should not be subject to a strange male's gaze, no matter the state of his genitals.

If you have, or have ever had a penis, pleas use men's or campaign for third space.

There are clearly many women who wish to have safe mixed-sex spaces, do they'll stand with you.

The rest of us will continue to expect our single-sex spaces to be just that, single-sex.

LemonSwan · 05/08/2022 20:45

Noonecaresifyounamechange · 05/08/2022 15:19

I think the reasons you’re finding it hard to word is because you’re wrong. The “person” is a women, who has ever right to be there.

Out of curiosity, how do you know she is trans?

Does her being trans make her more of a threat than any other women? Would a lesbian, for example, be treated with the same assumptions?

No the reason she’s finding it hard to write is because us women are socialised to make way.

There’s a long answer here to ‘she’s a woman’ but no one wants to have it. And when people attempt to it opens up avenues for individuals like yourselves to confused kindness, acceptance and accommodation as something else.

So the short answer is no. This person isn’t a woman. And I am no longer entertaining it for atleast another couple of decades until society has proven its capable of a bit of unspoken sense and nuance.

LK1972 · 05/08/2022 20:40

@HooverIsAlwaysBroken I sort of agree, but think that rather than 'people of the female sex should be allowed to not be exposed to penises, especially when in a vulnerable state (changing rooms, hospitals, prisons)' it should be 'people of the female sex have never consented to be exposed to strangers penises, especially when in a vulnerable state' (weren't even flipping asked, just told we should be ok, as said penis-owner identifies as a woman Hmm)

BiscuitLover3678 · 05/08/2022 20:39

StillHappy · 05/08/2022 20:34

Let’s be honest here; there was no need for him to walk in to put his hat away. No need at all. Whether he was going to the showers or coming back, it’d be normal to keep the hat with him.

A penny to a pound he was only doing that to be in the space while your mother was in there with the others.

I’m assuming this is sarcasm 😂

BiscuitLover3678 · 05/08/2022 20:38

Ok so what if the penis has been removed.
Is this person allowed to change in there? 🤷🏻‍♀️

StillHappy · 05/08/2022 20:34

PoolFloat · 05/08/2022 20:04

I won't use that letter, don't worry. It's not about the male bodied person putting a hat in a locker.

There should be no penises in women's changing rooms

Let’s be honest here; there was no need for him to walk in to put his hat away. No need at all. Whether he was going to the showers or coming back, it’d be normal to keep the hat with him.

A penny to a pound he was only doing that to be in the space while your mother was in there with the others.

HooverIsAlwaysBroken · 05/08/2022 20:33

@Dreamwhisper I think this is more simple than you think. Do you have daughters?

I have a huge compassion for anyone suffering. I would campaign every day for any transwoman being discriminated against in the work place.

however, I believe all people of the female sex should be allowed to not be exposed to penises, especially when in a vulnerable state (changing rooms, hospitals, prisons). That is why we need a third space for any vulnerable transwomen.

this is because of two reasons:

  1. some girls / women have suffered sexual assault from someone with a penis. They deserve to feel safe.

  2. there is no way to distinguish transwomen from men who pretend to be transwomen.

I want vulnerable women to be safe and I want my daughter to be safe. That is it.

I am really surprised how people play the statistics here. Take a male in a single sex space. So many people want to bet that a) this is a “proper transwoman”, posing no threat IN COMBiNATION with b) there will be no girls/women in this space who have suffered from sexual assault. That is a huge assumption. What if your daughter was in that space? What if your daughter was traumatised from a sexual assault?

StillHappy · 05/08/2022 20:27

LK1972 · 05/08/2022 20:12

@StillHappy So is being a woman, tbf, whatever gender theory says.

Yes, agreed. Sadly I’ve decided to sometimes cède that point in some conversations to try instead to push back against the new claim that sex is a question of identity too.

Blister · 05/08/2022 20:17

Dreamwhisper · 05/08/2022 18:17

It's just more simple than that though. Why don't you go about your business if someone is not bothering you and if they are bothering you then make it an issue.

You don't have to figure anything out.

Women are saying it bothers them and they can't go about their business?

I'm confused 😕

LK1972 · 05/08/2022 20:12

@StillHappy So is being a woman, tbf, whatever gender theory says.

SonicHg · 05/08/2022 20:10

@Noonecaresifyounamechange can you muster up some brain cells before writing such foolish comments. If you can’t distinguish sex then bet you must be as daft as a brush

StillHappy · 05/08/2022 20:07

Dreamwhisper · 05/08/2022 17:28

No one said you can change sex that's why they identify as trans women.

Your personal view might be "tough shit" but it is not the view of everyone.

I think I've made my points though and some replies have been very eye opening.

The statement was that they identify as female. Female is not defined by someone’s feelings, it’s a physical fact.

PoolFloat · 05/08/2022 20:04

I won't use that letter, don't worry. It's not about the male bodied person putting a hat in a locker.

There should be no penises in women's changing rooms

OP posts:
Noln · 05/08/2022 20:04

Noonecaresifyounamechange · 05/08/2022 15:19

I think the reasons you’re finding it hard to word is because you’re wrong. The “person” is a women, who has ever right to be there.

Out of curiosity, how do you know she is trans?

Does her being trans make her more of a threat than any other women? Would a lesbian, for example, be treated with the same assumptions?

Being trans doesn't make the person a threat in the women's changing room. Being a man does.

Ereshkigalangcleg · 05/08/2022 19:58

My heart is pulled both ways. Surely the only safe way forward is single spaces for any vulnerable activity - dressing, toileting, all of that.

I would be fine with having single spaces where practical, but I do think we need to acknowledge biological sex and the differences between male and female. It doesn't affect males as much, so they have less to lose than women.

StillHappy · 05/08/2022 19:58

Dreamwhisper · 05/08/2022 16:55

Dear Sir or Madam,

My 70 year old mother attends a swimming class and has informed me a trans woman used the female changing rooms to put her hat in a locker.

My mother was not comfortable with this as she would prefer if the female changing rooms were single sex spaces only.

Are you able to comment as to whether you would be willing to enforce a policy of your changing rooms being single sex only? I understand that it is possible to do this lawfully however I also understand that your policy may be to allow trans gendered people to use the changing room of their chosen gender rather than their biological sex.

Could you please clarify this matter for me, and if your current policy states that you do not require your changing rooms to be single sex, can you advise if there are any single occupancy facilities that my mother could use when swimming at your club?

I appreciate your help in this sensitive matter.

Yours sincerely,

Blister

That is exactly what I would write if I were in your position. It really doesn't need to be a full blown attack on anyone, you don't need to go into a transphobic rant (where you will justifiably get accused of, erm, transphobia).

That’s not a good letter, it makes an assumption that he was a trans woman. Better to stick to the facts and describe him as a man, or as male.

StillHappy · 05/08/2022 19:56

Lollypip · 05/08/2022 16:51

Unfortunately in some of the places I have lived I can absolutely see that. I think you must live in a bubble if you think people aren't scumbags.

I know that some people are. Those gleefully insulting women who want single-sex changing facilities would be a good example.

Supersee · 05/08/2022 19:52

Get back to your fucking biscuits

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Supersee · 05/08/2022 19:50

The numbers of trans people - people identifying as women and having a brain more similar to women then men is very very very unlikely to want to attack your mother for wanting a swim.

What is a brain similar to women? 98% of violent and sexual crime is committed by men. That doesn't change once they put a dress or lipstick on, or walk into a changing room. Unfortunately men who want to harm women don't come with a flashing sign.

Whether he flashed his male dick in her face or walked in and walked back out again, an elderly women in a state of undress has the right not to be seen by a male in a changing room for women. He could be the nicest male on the planet or Levi Bellfield, it doesn't matter. He shouldn't be there.

It really isn't fucking difficult to understand.

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