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AIBU?

Dad and women's changing room.

244 replies

BubbleMachine · 25/01/2023 19:49

I have name changed for this just incase the dad in question is on here - I am maybe being paranoid but a little shaken up from this confrontation.

I go to toddler swimming class. It is in a school and there are 2 small communal changing rooms, one for women and one for men. I have to go in the pool with my child.

Today after class I was trying to get dressed but a Dad had the door wide open to the women's changing room, standing in the doorway, trying to "help" his wife with their four year old child. This Dad is not a regular and I have never seen him or his family before. The door to the changing room opens up to the lobby area so there is zero privacy if the door is open.

I asked to please move and shut the door as I was trying to get dressed. He looked me up and down and said that he was just trying to help with his child. I repeated that I wanted to get unchanged so he had to leave and shut the door. He then said that he was not some sort of pervert and that I need not worry, no one in their right mind would want to look at me anyway. I, at this stage start to get angry and say "I don't care if you want to look or not, I don't want to get undressed in front of you". He then shouted a bit more that I was mental and slammed the door and left.

Then there was an uncomfortable few minutes while I changed next to his wife and child in total silence. I hurried to get dressed and out asap as it was really awkward. My husband was changing our child in the men's changing room.

I leave the women's changing room to the foyer to put my shoes on and wait for my husband. This man is there and he is still angry. He starts attacking the way I dress and look and keeps repeating in different ways how I am too ugly for anyone to look at. I keep repeating over and over again that I don't care if he want to look or not, I have a right to my privacy. He is adamant he has a right to change his child and that he was not technically "in" the changing room, just at the door.

Then my husband comes out with our child. The guy looks at him and says "awww, I am so sorry for you Mate, having to be married to that". I say to my husband he is angry because I asked him to leave the changing room, and my husband responds with "don't speak to my wife like that".

My husband is an extremely calm and mild manner man, he tired to explain to him that when men are asked to leave female spaces they should do. The guys starts mocking him, "what is this fucking woke bullshit" and laughing. He then gets his phone out and starts phoning me and calling me a Karen and "look at the state of this bitch thinking I would give her the time of day - don't flatter yourself love". I just keep repeating all the time that all I wanted was to get dressed not in front of him. I then say it is extremely entitled of you to think you have a right to be in the women's changing room and he explodes at the word entitled. "Don't you dare call me entitled, I am going to find your car and hunt you down at a service station".

At this stage, we have our coats and shoes on now... I know there is a lot of text here but all this happened in just a couple of minutes. I say let's just leave. And he says, if you ever speak to me like that again I will have you.

We get back to the car and I bust in to tears and we drive home. Aibu to be worried he is going to upload that video to social media and make me look like some mental "Karen" (I hate that word, I am only using it as he did). Also should we just leave the class now? I don't want my child and husband to be put through that again. I don't know what the swimming school would say or do if I reported it. Should I report it? Sorry for being so waffley and for the many typos, I am very shaken up and really needed to get it all down and clear my head and work out the next step here.

OP posts:
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Am I being unreasonable?

666 votes. Final results.

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You are being unreasonable
2%
You are NOT being unreasonable
98%
ihaveopinions · 25/01/2023 20:25

What a revolting thug he is. You did well to keep calm and not react to his childish, sexist insults. Report to police and whoever runs the swimming. A big notice should be put on the door stating it's kept closed and no men to enter.

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Surfsenior · 25/01/2023 20:25

I’d report the incident to the police. He sounds volatile and you might encounter him again.

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Freeme31 · 25/01/2023 20:26

How awful for you sending a hug please report this what if this was someone not as capable as you such as a young teenage girl having to change in front of him

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Lordofthebutterfloofs · 25/01/2023 20:26

Your husband is very restrained. Mine would have flattened the bastard.

I'm sorry he did that to you ❤️

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Georginathatsme · 25/01/2023 20:28

So sorry to hear this happened to you 💐

100% report to police and school, sounds like you kept very calm in the circumstances and he sounds deranged speaking to you and your husband like that, his opinions are not applicable, he’s clearly abusive.

Also, he didn’t need to “help”. What a gigantic twat, he will never upload that video unless he wants to demonstrate to the world how much of a vile excuse of a person he is.

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GoAGoGo · 25/01/2023 20:29

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Nosecan · 25/01/2023 20:31

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What is wrong with you?

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BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 25/01/2023 20:32

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DNFTT

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Eyerollcentral · 25/01/2023 20:32

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In what world do you think the OP could be possibly criticised for not going running round a facility in a wet swimming suit looking for non existent members of staff??? You are trying to start a row. Bog off and get a grip.

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organicapricot · 25/01/2023 20:32

This is a similar set up to my DCs swimming lessons there are no staff other than the instructor in the pool with the next class so no one to escalate to. I would certainly tell the swimming school what happened and police too who could potentially identify him through the swimming school. Were there any other parents around? If so I'm sorry no one said something to him also. I certainly would have and would be also reporting to the swimming school the incident I'd witnessed. I feel for his wife and child.

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PuttingDownRoots · 25/01/2023 20:33

What on earth is the teacher supposed to do when they are supposed to be teaching and supervising another lesson?

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IWineAndDontDine · 25/01/2023 20:33

GoAGoGo · 25/01/2023 20:03

Why didn't you just go and find a staff member instead of standing arguing?
Then your DH just stood there while the bloke carried on being abusive towards you? Wow.

So what? Her husband gets involved? Then what? He's way more likely to get physical with another male. Then he gets punched? I'd be livid if my husband stepped in. He knows it would exasperate things. But yeah of course, big strong man to the rescue to take care of the weak woman

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holierthanthou73 · 25/01/2023 20:33

100% you report! You’re lucky your husband is calm, my OH would have probably been arrested if someone spoke to me like that. What a vile POS! I hope you are doing ok OP

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Mummatron3000 · 25/01/2023 20:35

That sounds like a really horrible experience. It sounds like you handled it well. Thank you for confronting him and not just putting up with his presence in a woman-only space.
please do report it - he mustn’t be allowed to make any other woman feel uncomfortable in that space.

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Comeonbarbiebrianharvey · 25/01/2023 20:35

Police, yesterday. He threatened physical violence hopefully there were witnesses. You've done nothing wrong, well done for standing your ground.

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Servalan · 25/01/2023 20:36

100% report. To the swimming pool and to the police. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

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osprey24 · 25/01/2023 20:36

GoAGoGO I have reported you for bullying the OP. She has been bullied enough by the abusive man at the pool.

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Penguinsaregreat · 25/01/2023 20:36

What a complete and utter cunt he is.
Report him.
I would have reported him immediately and told his wife she is married to a cunt.

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junglistmassive · 25/01/2023 20:36

No wonder you're shaken up, what a horrible experience and also in front of children.
Imagine being married to that evil bastard.
I'm glad your husband said what he did.
I would report it to the swim class organisers and tell them that you would be frightened to come back and you're reporting it to the police. They should ask him to leave the class not you.

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Teateaandmoretea · 25/01/2023 20:37

What a truly vile man. Yanbu and this is not your fault in any way. Deffo report to the swimming school, what happened is truly awful.

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Papershade5 · 25/01/2023 20:37

Horrible man, when my kids were at that age we used to dry them off and dress them at the side of the pool, he could have done that and left his wife just to deal with herself in the changing room. Hateful of him to bring on the misogynistic insults though

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365names · 25/01/2023 20:37

Lenald · 25/01/2023 19:59

I really do think you should report him to the police.

I am so sorry that happened to you. What a disgusting man with questionable motives.

No sane man would thinking standing at the changing room like that was OK. He’s a vile bully.

This report and get him charged with threatening behaviour

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GoAGoGo · 25/01/2023 20:37

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U1sce · 25/01/2023 20:37

Report to the pool and police asap!



Dontlet him get away with it, and dont back down goingto the class - you're not in the wrong

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bythere · 25/01/2023 20:38

His wife was with their daughter so he had no reason to be in their anyway. If she hadn't been with them he should have just taken her into the men's.

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