For using the family changing rooms

[WildBalonz]

My local gym and swimming complex has recently had the ‘brilliant’ idea to take away the separate men and womens changing room and make it one bigger unisex changing room. There is a half wall that goes a bit through the middle that we assume is meant to keep it somewhat separate but I can tell you it doesn’t do that.
After complaining to the staff and asking why they have done that they explained that it has been done in several locations on a 6 month trial and if it’s successful and feedback is good they will convert all branches to unisex changing rooms. We made sure to let them know our thoughts and that it is definitely not something we would like. And if we hadn’t signed up for the year we would not be returning.

Me and two other friends go there together on a regular basis as it’s the best value complex in our area. However now that it’s been changed to a unisex changing room me and one friend have been using the family changing room because we are not comfortable changing/showering in the unisex one. My other friend on the other hand is continuing to use the unisex one and has said we shouldn’t be using the family one and that is unfair on the families who need to use it because it’s not that big etc. Normally I wouldn’t do that ofcourse but I think given the circumstances it’s ok? Are we ok to be using the family one or is my friend right and we are being unreasonable to not want to use the unisex one.

What a bizarre thing to trial! I would be using the family cubicle if necessary and complaining as often as possible.
Similar to other posters have said, the pool I use has unisex changing but rows and rows of cubicles as well as some cubicle showers.

But if it's only two cubicles (see OPs updates) and the rest open plan, that doesn't work. I don't want to get changed in an open plan changing room regardless of whether it's single sex or mixed use, and lots of other people feel that way too.

@WildBalonz you are not unreasonable but if you're really uncomfortable I'd vote with your feet and go elsewhere.

Why can’t you wait for one of the two smaller cubicles instead of using a family cubicle though?

Presumably the family one is equally busy and in demand so couldn’t you just wait for one of the other 4 private cubicles?

We pay by the hour and you are not allowed in before your hour starts. If I'm then waiting in a queue for one of only two cubicles, with 20+ other people, I lose swimming time.

That sounds like an incredibly stupid idea OP - many changing rooms are unisex now, but I've only ever come across the ones with lots of cubicles. Our local one has no open changing space at all, and has open showers (swimsuit on) and lockable cubicles with showers.

Keep complaining and maybe also raise it on their social media pages as well. Many people will be unhappy about having to either change in front of others (of any sex) or wait ages for one of the two cubicles.

Lots of pools have unisex changing these days. You are definitely meant to keep your swimming gear on to shower, so it makes no difference if it’s unisex or not. Swimming pool showers are really only for showering off chlorine, you should have already had a proper “pits & bits” shower at home before.

Your pool does need more cubicles though, that’s for sure. I reckon ours has about 20

Unisex is fine for most so long as there are cubicles. So based on their set up YANBU. I would keep complaining though.

The local leisure centre has had mixed changing rooms since I can remember and I’m 32. All cubicles. Doesn’t bother me. What does bother me is the thought of my Husband and I and our DD needing a family room and 2 women using it instead of other cubicles.

Did you miss the OP's point that there are only 2 cubicles in her space?

Of course you can use the family ones if they're the only free cubicles, why on earth wouldn't you.

Yes but when you get dressed after showering, in your costume, you’ll be taking your costume off. Or are people putting their dry clothes on over their wet swimming gear?

You say you gave them feedback - did you point out to them that unisex changing rooms create a higher risk or assult and voyeurism? https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/sexual-assault-unisex-changing-rooms-sunday-times-women-risk-a8519086.html

I think you should try to cancel your membership and get your money back.
In the meantime i'd tell them that i was going to continue to use the family facilities, and that if there are complaints about waiting - that is a direct consequence of their daft action.

And try to get as many people to give feedback as possible.

But isn’t the family one unisex too?
I think it’s ridiculous- they aren’t saving space. Women and men are equally entitled to privacy. If my teen DD was gong to your gym she would stop if she had to use a communal space. Now I wouldn’t mind communal locker room as long as there were plenty of changing cubicles.

I would use the family one if that’s the only available cubicle.

Honestly we had no idea about the swimsuit on when showering rule as that was definitely not something done when it was gendered. But perhaps doing that will make it slightly more comfortable in the unisex one. However yes there isn’t nearly enough cubicles I have no idea how they thought it was a good idea.

I just want to express appreciation for your user name 😂

Why thank you I picked it myself 😂

Yes you’ll be taking your swimming gear off after showering, that’s why I agreed they need more cubicles!

heavens imagine if someone stripped off in the showers! That would cause quite stir at our pool!

I think the way to think of it as someone has said up thread is a communal locker room - changing is (or should be) private in a cubicle. You just then stash your stuff in a shared area.

Maybe they need to put signs up to keep the swimmers on when showering at ours. But when it was ladies only we didn’t have a problem with feeling uncomfortable.

I definitely get that that is supposed to be the idea of the unisex changing area and it’s good in theory but in practice our one just doesn’t work like that as they didn’t bother putting enough cubicles!

For heaven's sake, they need loads of cubicles for this to work. Showering with a swimming costume on is less efficient than naked, but bearable. If you pay your year's subscription monthly, I'd suspend the payments and stop going until this is sorted out.

Yep they haven’t thought this through at all. Probably because it’s a trial run but I can’t see any feedback being positive. Ofcourse swimming with a costume on is doable even if it doesn’t get you fully clean but it shouldn’t be forced upon us. Yep that is what we’re thinking of doing but not exactly sure if we can because we pay each month but we are signed up for a year.

I can only say that pausing the payments is what I would do. You are not refusing to pay at all, but you can reasonably say that the changing area is not at the moment fit for purpose and that you will resume payments when it is usable. If enough customers do that, the trial period may be reduced!

but sometimes there are unfortunately

Its not really an option then, unless you can change when you swim.