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?

🤢 I'm glad my gym is very near to home 🤣

I wouldn’t be comfortable with that at all. Agreed.

No way?! I’m a member of a village gym and if men have to come in for any reason (to fix something) staff come through and make absolutely sure everyone knows about it, then they stand with the man until he’s finished, make sure they let women know who are coming in etc

I wouldn't be comfortable but not sure how they avoid it?

They could do more though - shout in before entering? Putting a sign on both entrance/exit doors asking customers to wait 5 mins.

It's not always possible to have both male/female staff on at all times but they need to respect customer privacy.

What about the cleaner?
I can only imagine what a harrowing cleaning job it must be for him.
Club together and ask management to institute a set number of strictly 15 min cleaning slots and have a say in when they are.
I'm pretty sure the male cleaner will thank you for it!

I’m quite relaxes and wouldn’t like this at all.

They shouldn’t just have male cleaners going in and out all day long. If they’re going in they need to put a sign outside, and shout/listen to check nobody’s in there before they enter. Anyway, surely there are female cleaners available. Why have a male cleaner in the first place 🙄

What OP describes sounds very similar to the set up at the PureGym I go to. There the regular gym staff (trainers who run the classes etc) clean the changing rooms during their shifts. So it’s not a case of not having female cleaners as such, it’s a case of there not always being a female staff member working. I think they also have external cleaners who come in, but the gym staff do some quick cleans - the changing rooms are always spotless.

It doesn’t bother me personally, but can see why it would bother people and I think the staff member was rudely dismissive to OP.

Because there's very few jobs that you are legacy allowed to specify are for a certain gender. They'd be breaking the law to hire a female cleaner just because they're female.

yanbu, the male manager at my gym inspects the changing rooms (always seems to be at peak times! ) he always knocks on the door and asks if it’s ok to come in/ is everyone dressed first. I always tell him to go away regardless. Doesn’t matter if I’m dressed, it’s a female changing room.

YANBU. Glad you’re complaining. Vote with your feet.

If any male enters a single sex space for any reason whatsoever, it is no longer single sex. The only exception to this is male children under the age of eight. We really all have to be very firm about this now and complain vociferously whenever it happens. Make a big fuss about it OP and suggest that fellow female gym goers complain too. This just isn't on.

I think if there are going to be male cleaners in an open female change area it needs to be scheduled. Even if it’s when it’s open I.e changing rooms closed 1-1.30 for cleaning.

im quite blaise about male toilet attendants etc but i agree in a shower you may not here a shout,one cleaner may not shout, I’d not be comfy with a random man potentially walking in a communal change area.

if they want to continue that they need cubicles - many more

I get you are uncomfortable but not sure what they can do more if the available cleaner’s are male.

I have the same at my gym (PureGym)and my workplace toilets. There is a sign saying it maybe serviced by male cleaners and they always yell to ensure it’s empty before entering.

I would prefer a female cleaner which they seem to try to have more of. Or I see more of. But I prefer clean toilets / changing rooms above all and it seems most patrons do as negative reviews seem more about dirty spaces than opposite sex cleaners.

At work though during the day I ONLY see female cleaners. After hours is when I have seen a male cleaner.

I wouldn't be comfortable with it at all. I think little children of the opposite sex should be the only ones ever in a change/restroom when other users are in it.

Ultimately, it’s the old project management triangle. Cost; timing; service. Pick two. If customers want a low-cost gym that is open early morning until late evening, the gym will be cutting costs by having their floor staff of whatever sex do the general cleaning and maintenance. If customers want an early morning to late evening gym which specifically employs female cleaners for the female changing rooms and male cleaners for the male changing rooms, then customers will have to pay for that service in their membership fee.

I used to be a PureGym member and know many branches which have received complaints about male cleaning and after-hours staff simply deal with the inability to get female staff by closing the women’s changing rooms and women-only training areas entirely between certain hours.

They need to set the times and have them posted on the wall so that you can schedule around it, to avoid being in the change rooms during cleaning

I’ve complained, no response from my email so I’ve left a google review. I spoke to a female colleague at my class today and she said she agrees with me and she feels uncomfortable with the set up herself.