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 ☺️

Sufficient warning so that I have the option not to go in there at that time. I don't want to undress in a space where random males are walking in with no prior warning. It's not an unreasonable position. Preferably hiring females as default position.

@MrBlobbyLivesNextDoor

Sufficient warning so that I have the option not to go in there at that time. I don't want to undress in a space where random males are walking in with no prior warning. It's not an unreasonable position. Preferably hiring females as default position.

Fair enough, I agree with your first point. Your last point about hiring female cleaners is impractical for the company as I and others have explained.

That said, we have a women's gym where I live and is fully staffed by women which I didn't think was legal tbh even if it does make sense to do.

Mixed sex gyms with both male and female changing facilities should be can't just be staffed by females.

OP I completely agree with you and I also have never seen a male cleaner in a female changing room at a gym. Only ever as others have said in motorway services & they have a sign up.
If I came out of the shower and saw a male there my instinctive reaction would be terror, for reasons you can probably guess. I also don't want my young daughters to be around males in female spaces or for it to become normalised, however, subconsciously, in their heads which is why the whole gender debate bothers me too.
I'm horrified actually that women are being told, by other women, they're over-reacting and too sensitive for having an issue with this.

Your last point about hiring female cleaners is impractical for the company as I and others have explained.

Not impractical. Unless the gym is teeny tiny. Which they generally aren't.

I worked in a public building where the building (and the toilets and changing rooms) were cleaned once a day, before we opened. The janitorial staff were all male so if something needed cleaned or fixed during the day, we'd put up a sign saying that the toilets were about to be closed for cleaning and wait until the area was clear before shutting the doors so that no-one could come in. If it was too busy, then I would go in and do what needed to be done while it was still being used. The janitors wouldn't have dreamed of going into that space while there were women and girls (of all ages) in there and would have been very embarrassed if it was expected.

There are a few posters implying (and in some cases saying outright) that those who do not want to be naked and vulnerable in front of men they do not know should be 'adapting to be less sensitive' and that they should 'seek therapy'. I always wonder what the reason is behind some poster's determination that women's barriers should be ignored or mocked but it comes across as unpleasant at best and sinister at worst.

@MrBlobbyLivesNextDoor

Your last point about hiring female cleaners is impractical for the company as I and others have explained.

Not impractical. Unless the gym is teeny tiny. Which they generally aren't.

More impractical in terms of staff availability and having to constantly double staff each shift and taking into account holidays, sick days etc

I'm horrified actually that women are being told, by other women, they're over-reacting and too sensitive for having an issue with this.

Yep, one person quite happy to undress in front of men. .And prefers that to female bodies she or possibly hair handed he doesn't find attractive. And women that aren't happy to do that apparently need to seek therapy for their issues.

Single sex provision is for safety and practical purposes. That's it. And I have never been in a women's gym changing room where there are male cleaners. Only in service stations occasionally. So fuck knows where these people live where male cleaners in women's changing rooms in perfectly normal. Sounds like bullshit to me.

More impractical in terms of staff availability and having to constantly double staff each shift and taking into account holidays, sick days etc

Yet plenty of gyms seem to manage that just fine. Funny that innit. Not as difficult as some would have us believe.

@MrBlobbyLivesNextDoor

More impractical in terms of staff availability and having to constantly double staff each shift and taking into account holidays, sick days etc

Yet plenty of gyms seem to manage that just fine. Funny that innit. Not as difficult as some would have us believe.

Do they?? I've never been to a gym where they only hire female cleaners.

How many different gyms do you go to and know the whole cleaning team?

Are you also saying that men don't have the same right to a single sex space with no male cleaners for their changing rooms or that the female cleaner has to put herself in the position of cleaning the male changing rooms?

Are you also saying that men don't have the same right to a single sex space with no male cleaners for their changing rooms or that the female cleaner has to put herself in the position of cleaning the male changing rooms?

Nope. I haven't said that. Men have the right to privacy and dignity as well. Although clearly the risks to women are much higher when men are in female spaces. Hth.

How many different gyms do you go to and know the whole cleaning team?

I've been a member of quite a few different gyms. And actually, yes, I do know the ratio of males and females in the current one. It probably helps having a good friend who works there right.

Does that satisfy your curiosity?

@MrBlobbyLivesNextDoor

Are you also saying that men don't have the same right to a single sex space with no male cleaners for their changing rooms or that the female cleaner has to put herself in the position of cleaning the male changing rooms?

Nope. I haven't said that. Men have the right to privacy and dignity as well. Although clearly the risks to women are much higher when men are in female spaces. Hth.

How many different gyms do you go to and know the whole cleaning team?

I've been a member of quite a few different gyms. And actually, yes, I do know the ratio of males and females in the current one. It probably helps having a good friend who works there right.

Does that satisfy your curiosity?

Okay, stop being arsey.

By saying gyms should only hire female cleaners, you're saying that men have to put up with female cleaners in their changing rooms.

Genuinely trying to have a proper conversation about this but you're little sarcastic comments are making that difficult.

I agree with you that there shouldn't be an occasion where an unexpected male should be in a female space. I'm just saying that it's not always practical to have a person of the 'correct' sex at hand throughout the whole day ready to do any task in the changing rooms, whether that is scheduled cleaning, incidental cleaning, repairs, first aid etc. It's a logistical and financial nightmare for the company.

At my gym (UK, commercial chain gym) they're very careful - there's a team of 2 cleaners, one man, one woman. And they have a clear policy of single-sex changing rooms, thank goodness. So the man does the men's change room, and the woman in the team does the women's.

Genuinely trying to have a proper conversation about this but you're little sarcastic comments are making that difficult.

Fair enough. It's been hard to tell some people's motivations here tbh. Sorry.

@SliceOfCakeCupOfTea

Are you also saying that men don't have the same right to a single sex space with no male cleaners for their changing rooms or that the female cleaner has to put herself in the position of cleaning the male changing rooms?

When has anyone said this? What lots of people have said is that gyms should employ cleaners of both sexes.

Your last point about hiring female cleaners is impractical for the company as I and others have explained.

You haven’t explained anything. You and certain others have put forward arguments that have been comprehensively debunked by others.

‘It’s too expensive!’ - Many, many posters have confirmed that their gyms are too big and open for too long for one cleaner to manage. Very easy to hire one of each sex. Additionally, as one poster who has a particular bee in his bonnet about this keeps making a point of saying, these cleaners are probably on minimum wage. Not going to bankrupt the gym to hire another then, is it?

‘It’s discrimination!’ - more than one poster has supplied links to details of the law that prove otherwise.

‘It’s impractical! What if someone is off sick or on holiday?!’ - every organisation in the world deals with these issues. Somehow society has not collapsed. Yes, it’s probably easier for an office to spread work around, or for a shop to have only one till open, than it is to get an extra cleaner at short notice - but frankly, tough titty. Certain organisations have certain demands. Schools have to get supply teachers in at short notice in the event of sickness - and that’s a job that requires specific qualifications and training. If the education system somehow survives, I’m sure a gym manager can call an agency and ask for a fe/male cleaner.

By saying gyms should only hire female cleaners, you're saying that men have to put up with female cleaners in their changing rooms.

Not one person has said this!!

@WomanStanleyWoman

By saying gyms should only hire female cleaners, you're saying that men have to put up with female cleaners in their changing rooms.

Not one person has said this!!

Literally MrBlobby said they should hire females as default.

Literally MrBlobby said they should hire females as default.

For women's spaces yes. Imo.

Did you just read what you thought I was saying rather than what I was actually saying?

@MrBlobbyLivesNextDoor

Literally MrBlobby said they should hire females as default.

For women's spaces yes. Imo.

Ah sorry, I had misinterpreted that post in which case.

I have a friend who's a cleaner at a gym. They only have women cleaners but that's not from choice, I've asked and she says no men applied and not many women. They struggle when people are sick and only have 2 cleaners on mid day , early morning and late night are single cleaner .

They don't choose what they clean and when either , it's all on a list unless something comes up and thet have to do additional cleaning in an area

@WomanStanleyWoman sorry I missed your reply to me earlier.
I hire cleaners for our business and honestly, it's a nightmare. I advertised for a 15 hour contract on indeed for 1 week. During that week I had over 400 applicants, narrowed down to 20 interviews and only 3 actually turned up. We only need 2 cleaners so if we had a bigger team, it's that process times however many plus redoing the whole thing every time someone leaves.

We also use agencies to cover if one of our cleaners call in sick, has annual leave etc. The agency has about 45 cleaners and only 4 are male. This is really, really common as we have explored other agencies as well. We get who ever is available and wants the job (agency staff tend to be on 0 hour contracts so can say no to shifts).

Perhaps businesses who only use agency cleaners do have more power to request certain sexes but again, if the person of the correct sex isn't available then what? The changing room still need cleaning so the simple answer is to make sure everyone is aware of the situation.