Mixed sex changing rooms?

[Whatschanged]

Has something changed in society around changing/fitting rooms in shops or have I just had two unusual incidents? Or am I being ridiculous?!

A couple of weeks ago I was in the adult men’s section of Next with my 13 year old son, he needed to try on some jeans, a very tall but slim lad, so definitely doesn’t fit in the children’s section anymore. Men’s is upstairs with the homeware, women’s and kids downstairs, both floors have changing rooms. He went in to try them on and I waited completely outside by the lifts. While I was waiting an adult woman walked in the changing rooms to try something on, I was quite surprised, and gave her an odd look (very British of me, sorry) but she blanked me. I thought, well it’s not the end of the world but I’d be a bit more shocked at a grown man going in the changing room downstairs next to the women's clothes when my 13 year old daughter was in their alone (I don't have daughters though).

This weekend I was in M&S, women’s and children’s clothing downstairs, and there is a fitting room, women’s underwear and men’s clothing and cafe upstairs, there is a fitting room by the men’s clothes and a fitting room my the women’s underwear. I went in the fitting rooms by the women’s underwear to try some bras on, and there was a lady loitering around the cubicles, when I got in I heard what I presume was a little boys voice, perhaps about 6 years old and a grown mans voice (could have been an older teenager or a fully grown man, I never saw them, but a broken, older mans voice). The ‘man’ was helping the ‘boy’ with the clothes and the woman was outside the cubicle asking how it was going etc. I was really surprised, why wasn’t the grown man with the boy in the men’s changing room? Or why wasn’t the woman (presume mum) in there with him?! I was there with my boobs out, what if I wanted a fitting? M&S has lockable doors but Next it’s just curtains.

So I just thought perhaps something has changed and now people just wonder in whatever fitting room they fancy, or is this a bit weird?

YANBU – men should go in men’s, women in women’s, children that require assistance should go in whatever changing room matches the adult.

YABU – stop being so precious, you’re normally in individual locked cubicles anyway so what on earth does it matter!

Our fitting rooms consist of individual lockable cubicles, typically managed by a colleague to provide assistance and ensure customers’ privacy. They are located within our womenswear and menswear departments and therefore are mainly used by customers of that gender, however in line with most other retailers we will generally allow people to use the fitting room they prefer, with our colleagues exercising discretion and common sense.

From the M&S website.
They don't have designated male or female changing rooms. They haven't cared about women's privacy for ages. And don't ever get fitted for a bra in there - they are hopeless.

Wow, thanks for that. So it has changed, how bizarre! I'm not a fan of this!

I didn't get fitted as last time it was useless although she was very lovely lady. I actually managed to find the best fitting bra I've had in 10 years though!

Also, the lockable doors, you could argue make it less safe, I'm sure this is an extreme thought and extremely unlikely to happen but a man could follow a woman into the changing area, and lock her in the room with him.

Who cares, you’re behind a locked door. I just never shop in person, it’s so boring!

Yeah m&s ones are mixed now. It just says 'fitting rooms' and I'm not sure if all have locks as I think ours is just curtains. Uniqlo is the same.

I am not mad on it really as I don't really want men looking at me when I come out of the cubicle and do my little catwalk in front of the communal mirror?! DK why really but it just feels like if there was a pervert you'd be vulnerable.

Women who have been sexually assaulted care!!

Lots of young girls like shopping - I think it puts them in a very vulnerable position. Why should they be oggled at in changing rooms. Not all have locked doors either....

I know M&S is largely mixed. My local outlet only has one section for changing rooms so they have to be unisex.

They are fully enclosed so I don’t really care tbh.

It's awful, OP. I wouldn't use a mixed sex changing room for any reason - is rather buy a couple of sizes and return whatever doesn't fit. It's a pain in the arse though!

If you (or anyone) have triggers, then there are other options; ordering online and trying clothes on in home, shopping elsewhere. A business offers a service, If the business doesnt provide the level of service you require then vote with your wallet and shop elsewhere.

I refuse to use these OP. Vote with your wallet and feet.

Don't see the issue if there are individual cubicals. I'm in Germany and I've never seen single sex changing cubicles although of course the ones but the mens clothes will generally be used by men.

I don’t see any issue if there are individual cubicles. It isn’t a new thing.

People who have no issue with individual cubicals have obviously never entertained the fact that men can and have hidden cameras in them.

I think it’s awful op. It doesn’t benefit women at all, so consider who it does benefit .

Stores have a lot less retail employees than was the case perhaps even ten years ago. So the days of a staff member being outside the changing room who could direct you to the correct one have long gone. To reduce costs, to be competitive especially as many people are happy to shop online or go to stores that sell cheap poor quality clothes.

Not that it makes it any better, though if you shop at Primark or go to the cheap online stores in a way you have contributed.

Consumer boycotts just don't happen in the UK, and so it will not change.

Same. As long as they’re lockable, and not with just a curtain.

A male employee could hide a camera. A man could get a woman to hide one for him.

Yes, so why make access for men to do this easier?

How do mixed sex cubicles benefit women?

I preferred single sex ones, they were better for safety and dignity. Having mixed sex changing areas with lockable cubicles do not benefit me one bit. They increase the risk of voyeurism, they have health and safety concerns unless they have gaps at the top or the bottom in case someone has a medical episode and if they DO have gaps the voyeurism chances increase further.

In single sex areas it was easier to flag help from assistants if you got the wrong size or something without getting fully dressed first.

There is not a single benefit to women, yet so many women don't care!

Another thing is the fact if you come out of the changing booth wearing the stuff you're trying on, you couldn't really run away without leaving your bag/wallet/actual clothes in there. To potentially be stolen. Well, the wallet or bag might be. Almost like a double whammy of pervert/flasher/wanker and robber. There could be two working together?!

How do mixed sex cubicles benefit women?

By making more cubicles available to use. Saves you having to go up or down a floor or wait in a queue.

How so? In most shops the women's clothes are on a different floor or in an entirely different area from the men's section of the shop! Why would anyone pick up a item of women's clothing and carry it to the men's section to try it on, or vice versa!

We all KNOW why shops are doing this, it is not for the benefit of women!

Our next has the women’s and men’s clothes on one floor with one lot of changing rooms and then the kids and homeware and cafe upstairs with a cafe - didn’t really think much of it - all the local supermarkets have closed their changing rooms and you just have to take it home to try stuff on

"Has something changed in society around changing/fitting rooms in shops...?"

Woke retailers have deemed that single sex changing facilities are outdated and no longer requires by their customers. Retailers faced either keeping single sex spaces which would mean saying NO to men who want to change with women, or getting rid on single sex spaces entirely. Which is what many of them, including M&S, did.

Only a nasty bigot terf "worst kind of woman" would object to such an inclusive policy, and everyone hates them anyway, so we should all simply shut the fuck up about it.

My daughters & I take our custom elsewhere.

Did you read the OP? A women used the mixed changing rooms on the adult men’s floor.

Yep because men dont hide cameras in any area they can access to perve on women a children.

The ever elongating list of police officers, doctors and "nice" men convicted for non-contact sex abuse using phones and other recording devices never happen.