Man cleaner in women changing rooms

[Globaluser]

So I moved to Europe a year ago nearly and just recently started coming to the gym.

In this gym there were no notices up to state there’s both male and female cleaners. So I was caught kinda off guard when I walked out the shower and came across a man mopping the floors.

So I’m wondering since I didn’t really go to any u.k gyms. Is this actually normal?

I mean for me that means I will be showering at home from now on, as I see a difference between women seeing me naked and a man seeing me naked.
So I just wanted to ask how many of you would mind and how many of you have come across a male cleaner in a womens changing room in the u.k.
Thank you ☺️

"At my gym the men cleaning are more likely to need to bleach their eyes over concealing an erection."

How lovely........you must get a thrill from that then given your stance

A gym with two cubicles in the womens changing rooms is not recruiting 2 cleaners per shift. It's just not feasible. It's not big enough. They can't pick which sex they want to recruit because either way one of the changing rooms will have a cleaner of the opposite sex. Therefore, the sex of the cleaner isn't covered by the Equality Act.

How the gym manages this is still covered by the EA.

I agree there should be a sign and a shout from the cleaner when he's coming in the room. But OP was in the shower so we don't know he didn't shout.

Although the cleaner would be aware there was someone in there when he entered. It's a case of making sure women know that there are going to be men in that space at certain times. So that they can decide whether or not to go in at that that. Not that hard.

She can request a sign is put up but she's also saying she should be allowed to be naked where she likes so shes now aware that may mean she's naked in front of a man. Her choice.

She's not fucking saying that at all. Don't be ridiculous. The gym need to ensure that they protect the dignity, privacy and safety of their female customers.

A gym with two cubicles in the womens changing rooms is not recruiting 2 cleaners per shift.

The OP doesn't say there are two cubicles and nothing else. She can correct me if I’m wrong, but the way I read it, it’s an open plan changing area with two private cubicles. Ours is like that with just one private cubicle, but it’s certainly not small and there’s always a female cleaner around.

Also, as I said on an earlier post, most gyms are open well beyond a standard working day. Even if you can manage with one cleaner per shift, I can’t see how you could manage with one shift per day.

A gym with two cubicles in the womens changing rooms is not recruiting 2 cleaners per shift. It's just not feasible. It's not big enough

I think it has been pointed out already that two changing cubicles doesn't make it a small gym. My gym is huge, it has a swimming pool, spa, cafe and several rooms for classes as well as the gym itself. It has only three tiny cubicles and at busy times almost everyone gets dressed in the communal changing room.

The OP doesn't say there are two cubicles and nothing else. She can correct me if I’m wrong, but the way I read it, it’s an open plan changing area with two private cubicles. Ours is like that with just one private cubicle, but it’s certainly not small and there’s always a female cleaner around.

Yes I was just considering that. My gym has two small cubicles. And a large open plan area for women to get changed. Not small at all. And not generally a problem as long as men aren't wandering in and out.

@Baystard

A gym with two cubicles in the womens changing rooms is not recruiting 2 cleaners per shift. It's just not feasible. It's not big enough

I think it has been pointed out already that two changing cubicles doesn't make it a small gym. My gym is huge, it has a swimming pool, spa, cafe and several rooms for classes as well as the gym itself. It has only three tiny cubicles and at busy times almost everyone gets dressed in the communal changing room.

Exactly. No way can one cleaner handle all that all day; especially when gyms have had to step up in terms of cleanliness post-Covid.

Also, as I said on an earlier post, most gyms are open well beyond a standard working day. Even if you can manage with one cleaner per shift, I can’t see how you could manage with one shift per day.

Changing rooms would be disgusting if they were only cleaned once a day.

And that still doesn't mean they can necessarily recruit female cleaners.

Logically, a lot of women would actually be intimidated by the idea of cleaning mens changing rooms.

@girlmom21

Also, as I said on an earlier post, most gyms are open well beyond a standard working day. Even if you can manage with one cleaner per shift, I can’t see how you could manage with one shift per day.

Changing rooms would be disgusting if they were only cleaned once a day.

And that still doesn't mean they can necessarily recruit female cleaners.

Logically, a lot of women would actually be intimidated by the idea of cleaning mens changing rooms.

Regardless of who they recruit, the gym still has to adhere to the EA and the principles of dignity covered under the human rights act.

So it's either same sex cleaners, or it's a case of making sure that the customer is aware that males (or females in the males space) will be entering at certain times. Not during the event. Before the event. Really not that difficult.

@MrBlobbyLivesNextDoor

I don't want to see other women walking around naked (it's always the ones who have no business walking around naked too)

Maybe not. But it's still not possible to completely cover up when getting changed from under a towel.

Never said it was

These are the type to stroll around shaking what god gave them, bending over to dry every nook and cranny (not envy)

Removing a towel and getting dressed? Fine, everyone needs to do that, I do that regardless of male cleaners being in the vicinity

It's the wandering around that baffles me

@girlmom21 this is less than half a changing room at a David Lloyds. They’re huge - they just don’t have many cubicles

@girlmom21

Also, as I said on an earlier post, most gyms are open well beyond a standard working day. Even if you can manage with one cleaner per shift, I can’t see how you could manage with one shift per day.

Changing rooms would be disgusting if they were only cleaned once a day.

And that still doesn't mean they can necessarily recruit female cleaners.

Logically, a lot of women would actually be intimidated by the idea of cleaning mens changing rooms.

You seem to want it both ways. I agree with you that changing rooms need cleaning more than once a day - I actually can’t remember the last time I went to the gym when a cleaner wasn’t in the changing room. So if there’s a need for regular cleaning, how are they supposed to manage with only one staff member? Or if it’s really that small, couldn’t they stagger shifts?

You’re saying gyms potentially couldn’t employ female cleaners because they’d be intimidated by having to go into male changing rooms. But you’re not bothered about female members being intimidated by a male cleaner? You can’t have it both ways.

Of course you can recruit female employees only to clean female changing rooms and vice versa - eg first role that comes up when I search gym cleaner job

findajob.dwp.gov.uk/details/8051195?utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm_source=google_jobs_apply&utm_medium=organic

gyms will have multiple staff on shift at the same time (in my gym I would see at least half a dozen every time I’m there and I’m sure there are plenty more behind the scenes) - no reason at all why there can’t be at least one male and one female person there

I’m more convinced the more I read of this thread that a lot of people on here don’t use a gym regularly. And @JigglyPiggly can you please clarify which kind of women “have business” being naked in a changing room and which don’t?

@WomanStanleyWoman but you want it both ways. You say men shouldn't be in womens changing rooms but women should be in mens

I think we all agree there should be signs. It's that easy. Then we can all decide what we're comfortable with.

And interestingly here’s one of the next results

careers.bannatyne.co.uk/vacancies/5987/male-cleaner-part-time.html

So clearly it does work both ways (as I’d expect)

Why people feel the need to be completely starkers in a changing room is beyond me. We have one large communal changing area (with some cubicles) at local pool at the number of people who just strip off (both men and women) is astounding. Walking to locker naked to get a towel, dry themselves, walk back to locker naked to get underwear, walk back to bench naked and then put undies on, walk back to locker

[quote girlmom21]@WomanStanleyWoman but you want it both ways. You say men shouldn't be in womens changing rooms but women should be in mens

I think we all agree there should be signs. It's that easy. Then we can all decide what we're comfortable with. [/quote]
It’s really very fucking simple. Women cleaners clean the women’s changing room and men clean the mens.
You know that whole gym isn’t employing just a single cleaner right? It’s not a terraced house.

@Beebopbopbopbopbop don't swear at me when you're too lazy to read the discussion and see that topic has been discussed

mThe Bannatyne Group is an Equal Opportunities Employer. However due to the nature of the position there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement to recruit Male/Female cleaners. This is necessary to preserve the decency and privacy of our members as cubicles are not always available in our changing facilities.

And there you have it.

@WomanStanleyWoman

mThe Bannatyne Group is an Equal Opportunities Employer. However due to the nature of the position there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement to recruit Male/Female cleaners. This is necessary to preserve the decency and privacy of our members as cubicles are not always available in our changing facilities.

And there you have it.

And in OP's gym there are cubicles available so that may not apply.

Love the big debate about the Equality Act given that OP has said she is not in the UK!

@Eleganz

Love the big debate about the Equality Act given that OP has said she is not in the UK!

It's an EU act isn't it? Might be wrong

@Globaluser

No I won’t be having a word. Honestly I don’t mind showering at home. I just wanted to know if it’s normal. Only reason really I wanted to know if women would mind or not was because I’ve seen a lot of posts here about mixed sex toilets and how majority of the women on here feel uncomfortable with that idea. That’s all.

I know what you mean OP. Lots of people seem uncomfortable with a man in a unisex toilet the same time as them but give him a mop and suddenly all is well. It makes me uncomfortable too.

@Eleganz op’s question was specifically about the uk though - “So I just wanted to ask how many of you would mind and how many of you have come across a male cleaner in a womens changing room in the u.k”

@girlmom21 op said that her gym has 2 small toilet cubicles - unlikely to be suitable for getting dressed in during a busy period