Next’s fitting room policy

[Darkwoodfurniture]

Long story short went into Next changing room on the women’s floor and there was a man in there.
I complained onsite to just get ‘oh ok’ so complained to HQ.
Their response was that all their fitting rooms are now unisex (even though store staff said they were women's) even if they are on separate floors I.e women’s or men’s.
I queried with them why they didn’t provide lockable doors etc and provide some level of security other than a curtain, along with some signage.
They escalated my complaint and they got back to me saying they feel their fitting rooms are appropriate as they are and won’t be publicising the unisex nature via signage.
I get it’s a trend to make fitting rooms unisex, but surely letting customers know so that they get to make a decision if they want to use them or not, should be the bare minimum.

They have a member of staff is around so hardly an issue

I wonder whether the staff members are happy with the responsibility of sorting out a predatory male in female changing spaces for minimum wage. 🤔

How does having a staff member there stop someone hiding a secret camera in the cubicle? Or the young girl feeling uncomfortable changing knowing there are unknown men within inches of them?

it might not me an issue for you personally, but I and others have pointed out the many safety and dignity issues with this policy.

I’m my local primark it’s all unisex and staffed by men sometimes too. I think it varies everywhere.

Was about to post something similar, although I have used the changing rooms without being re-directed. Ladies changing rooms are a floor below.

Have a wild guess when unisex changing rooms were introduced here:

Primark are so far from an exemplar in this space! Last time I checked women meant men who say they are women too.

And equally the sign doesn’t indicate that men might be in there.

For all women, and the young girls who are a huge part of the Next demographic, that is as unfair as it is misleading, for some women and girls it means they can’t use the fitting rooms because of their religion, their culture or their previous experience of abuse.

i honestly wouldn't care. not every man is a predator.

I am self consious enough in the fitting rooms with a curtain as often there is a gap at either end because curtains are not flat to the wall. I am always very aware that i can be seen through the gaps if someone so wished and it makes me feel uncomfortable enough when it ladies only. If men are allowed in, i think its sickening. Especially when its kids and teens getting changed. Im going to write a complaint. People should post about this on twitter.

And if only the ones who are would stick to the rules and wear their “I AM A SEXUAL PREDATOR “ badges so we could avoid them.

The fitting rooms in shops were built long before all this unisex nonsense, and staff working there were either working in womanswear or menswear. Now the world has gone mad and fitting rooms are open to anyone. Staff still think of them as the woman's fitting rooms or the mens. They think its a nonsense too. So having a dig at staff is pretty futile and ignorant.
At the end of the day if you dont like men in womens fitting rooms, or big hairy dogs wandering round shops you need to stay in.

As i said the worlds gone mad.

Was the man trying on clothes or was he waiting for a female shopping? I think the latter bother me more. Perhaps as they are purely there as a spectator.

Perhaps as they are purely there as a spectator.

But women don't want spectators in the changing rooms.

Do you have radar to detect the ones who are? My dh wouldn't be caught dead in a changing room with women. Like most decent men.

That's why it bothers me.

So much safer to order by mail and return what does not fit.

And women who have been harassed and sexually assaulted and women who just value their privacy because they might not want their bodies on show for whatever reason.

Obtuse.

I go to next a lot and at our local store it’s been like this for a long time, as in years, definitely not a new policy. I’ve never thought anything of popping in the fitting rooms on either floor, it’s never even crossed my mind if they are womens or mens, they are just fitting rooms available for use. But the set-up of them is good, they are spacious and the cubicles feel sufficiently private, it may vary between stores though.

How did the man know he could use that changing room, if there is no sign saying it is unisex?
Ive heard M&S are officially unisex but the last time I took my teen to get school trousers we were directed to the "men's" fitting room when I'd wandered up to the female (wasn't wanting him to use the female one, just no idea where the men's was)
(See even when they are officially unisex we all still know in our heads which is the men's or the women's!)

Not all men are predators

Sure!

not all priests are predators. Not all scoutmasters. Not all housemasters. Not all football coaches

so we should just do away with safeguarding then?

I find this disconcerting. Last time I was in an m and s changing room a man threw and I mean threw open my curtain. Women don’t behave like that.

That’s interesting- last time I was in a Next there was a bloke in there standing outside the curtain chatting with his female partner who was changing inside, and generally he was hanging around inside the changing room area. I was in the next cubicle helping my daughter try on clothes. I debated complaining to the staff but decided I wasn’t up for an argument that day. I do feel uncomfortable with men in fitting rooms. They aren’t very secure, the curtains
often don’t shut fully and generally I feel unsafe. I feel that it’s also disrespectful on the part of men who do this, like they don’t care about respecting what should be a separate sex space. I agree with posters who have complained. I don’t think a boycott would do anything.

Frankly in this scenario I use the 'men's' because in there I almost certainly won't get the type of man who thinks it's fine to use the women's.

If it makes men uncomfortable then I say tough and welcome to a woman's world, having to worry about using what used to be a safe space, who's walking behind them, whose using their toilets. It's men that are doing this so it's men who need to help address it, them feeling some heat is a good way to do this.

If I tried to use the men's and was redirected I would be asking why and asking to see the manager - after all the majority of retailers are now unisex changing rooms.

That poster was in next using the unisex changing room as well

So much more effective to buy from companies that value their female customers and boycott the ones that don’t.