Would this changing room scenario bother you?

[Pamnn82]

I’ve just started going to the gym regularly. It opens late and is next door to my workplace, I’d like to keep going.
The issue I have is that they have male cleaners coming into the women’s changing room.
It’s a busy gym, the changing room has 2 private cubicles, 2 toilets, 2 showers and an open benched space.
I approached a worker and explained, I’m not comfortable with it, I now feel like I definitely can’t use the open space or showers. He looked at me like I was insane and said the cleaner would have shouted out if he was okay to enter (A silly system because you might walk in and he’s already in there and I doubt anyone would hear from the shower area anyway) Plus just because one woman might be ok with it doesn’t mean we all will.
I have very deep seated reasons why I am so uncomfortable, I don’t feel like I should have to share them with random gym workers to be understood.
I’ve done cleaning jobs myself and they were always done before or after closing.
Is this a me problem, would it bother others reading?

Yeah I would not be ok with that either

I’m fairly liberal but would not want male cleaners in a gym changing room with open changing spaces. The

No. If you are in the shower you would not hear the cleaner shout out.
change at work and then shower at home if you want to keep going?

Nah, fuck that! It's completely unacceptable and I'd submit a formal complaint!

I wouldn’t be happy but some gyms are open all the time so I guess that means they clean while open

YANBU…!!

It’s not unreasonable to be unhappy, but, they are clearly telling people about it and it does seem common practice nowadays,so don’t see anything to gain by complaining, they won’t change the policy, unbelievable though it may be, men don’t particularly want to be in the shower having a wee or getting changed when a female cleaner comes in either

I would cancel membership and tell the gym it was due to male cleaners in open femalw changing rooms.

If its necessary to clean them, they need to be closed temporaily with signs stating times.

Please tell me you meant having a wee and being in the shower separately there 🤣🤣🤣.

Totally agree OP. If it's open 24/7 they need either same sex cleaners, or a dedicated slot that people can choose to avoid.

Not at all.

They’re there to do a job.

Yanbu. I certainly wouldn't like it. Email them your concern.

Cool, I’m not alone.. Was worried I was being over the top. I’ll email a complaint.

I will happily share a unisex loo, but no way would I accept a male cleaner bustling around whilst I was in the shower or getting changed.

Is the shower not in a lockable cubicle? It wouldn't bother me but the changing rooms at my gym and pool have been unisex for years so I'm used to shared spaces, everyone is using cubicles in there obviously. I've occasionally been in changing rooms with a bench and cubicles when I've been away but I'd always use the cubicle, even if I have to wait for it.

It wouldn't bother me. He's just doing his job.

The doors lock, it’s frosted glass with an open space at the top and bottom.
It’s annoying because I sometimes work split shifts 6am-10am a 2 hour break and them back to work 12-4. I liked the idea of going to the gym having a shower them going back next door to work.

YANBU I voted but clicked the wrong one!

You can change your vote here!

At my gym there’s a constant sign next to the entrance of the changing rooms which says a male cleaning attendant is on duty. They are very good at knocking on the main door and shouting out to ask if it’s okay for them to come in when they need to clean.

I recognise that it’s not an ideal situation but also readily acknowledge that they can’t just only have staff in to clean when the gym is closed to customers, because gyms are in use all day and showers and changing rooms get dirty, and if that was allowed to build up throughout an entire day, customers would complain about that. In many gyms (particularly budget ones), staff are expected to be persons-of-all-trades: the floor staff are also expected to be reception staff and cleaning staff, there are no singular designated roles.

Thanks for that, I for one didn't know that.

Voyeurs charter, absolutely do not want men around while I'm trying to dry off after using the shower.

Surely if the cleaners are prepared to come back at another time (if they knock on the door first), then if they enter whilst you’re there they can also come back at another time.

So if you get out of the shower (presumably in a towel) and there’s a cleaner there, you should feel free to say “can you come back later as I’m changing now” and if they say anything other than yes, you can say that you told them not to come in when they knocked, but they may not have heard as you were in the shower.

Obviously if they didn’t knock then they’re not following policy, so they shouldn’t argue with you on that point.

You can be smiley about it, but also firm and just demand that they leave as you asked them not to enter when they knocked.

In short, I would be asking them to leave unless there was a free cubicle for me to change in and have no guilt about it whatsoever. I’m paying for a service (to use the gym and changing room) not providing a peep show.

I’m going to email there head office, I don’t want to have conversations about who said what while I’m naked apart from a towel.

My gym and pool has mixed changing rooms with just curtains rather than doors for the cubicles. I couldn't give a stuff to be honest. Doesn't bother me at all.

Well I did mean seperately but be honest, people do