I am about to ID as a man

[YesItsADebate]

In 1.5 hours, I will be identifying as a gay man who does not conform with male gender stereotypes. I expect my local leisure facility to comply with the Swim England guidelines and agree that I am entitled to access the men-only swimming sessions, the male showers and toilets and to wear swimming trunks. I also expect them to re-educate any other man who objects to any of the above.

In other words, I have a meeting with the local swimming pool at 10 to see whether or not I’ll be resorting to topless swimming and public nudity tonight in an effort to prove my point that the Swim England guidelines are ridiculous

Wish me luck!

[Somerville]

Bravi? (Always go for the inappropriate plural if unsure?) grin

DD1 has a friend a girl who we have to call inappropriate plurals because they has no gender, apparently. I told them "me neither!" but apparently my long hair and penchant for high heels means I do.

[LoniceraJaponica]

Neither would I Headofhtehives55

[RubyLennoxExists]

I assume you also identify as an elite swimmer and so will be doing you splashing around in the fast lane.
It's enough that she is id'ing as a man - that in itself gives her the right to splash around in the fast lane irrespective of ability.

[BewitchedBotheredandBewildered]

Forza OP!

Good luck.

[Headofthehive55]

But I am wondering if anyone would say anything if I turned up in just bottoms. I mean why do I have to wear a costume to cover up something I haven't got? Why are men allowed to go topless?

[skippykips]

Ooh good luck! Looking forward to the update!

[senua]

Well done. It's about time we started a backlash like this.

Take someone with you so you have a witness and the leisure centre can't claim that you misunderstood or misinterpreted what they said. The witness could be a notetaker for you.

[Natsku]

Excellent! Very interested to hear what they say.

[YesItsADebate]

Re. the top, the guidelines only say that transmen should be encouraged to wear a binder, not that they must. I will politely decline on the grounds that my moobs are the same as any other bloke’s.

I usually swim in the fast lane anyway. My best stroke is backstroke but I might get a bit of fly in.

To be fair to the pool, I phoned ahead a couple of weeks ago. I was repeatedly put on hold, catching snatches of hurried debate between the staff at head office, before they asked to call me back. The chap who phoned back said it’s been raised with their operations director, who would discuss it with the CEO. I’ve now been invited in for this meeting. My preferred outcome is for them to explain that they apply the EA exemption from the GRA segregate based on sex. If not, it’s the trunks for me!

[Bastardingcough]

Good luck OP!

[TallulahWaitingInTheRain]

Superb OP

[MangoSplit]

Keep us posted OP!

[expatinscotland]

'DD1 has a friend a girl who we have to call inappropriate plurals because they has no gender, apparently. '

Oh, fuck that.

[AnnieAnoniMouse]

I was thinking about this the other day and came to the conclusion that Masons & Mosques (& other segregated religious venues) were probably the only two places men would actually give a crap if a woman self identified as a man.

[CuntAmongstThePigeons]

Ohhhhhhhh FABULOUS idea Op!!!! Do let us know how you get on. I'm actually seriously considering trying this too!!!! Although as mentioned above the ogling would be frustrating, but all for the greater good!!!!

[YesItsADebate]

I don’t have a note-taker but I informed my local MP of what I was doing when I met with him and have his support. I’ll be taking my own notes and summarising them back in an email to the managers I’m meeting today so it’s on record.

[EmpressOfJurisfiction]

Good luck!

[theduchessstill]

Good luck - can't wait to hear how you get on.

I do agree with the point about men winning anyway because many would like to see boobs around the place. What male only spaces can we do this in that don't involve being naked? Shop changing rooms, clubs (Garrick etc) where else? I definitely think making it a problem for men is the only way to stop the madness.

[WillowWept]

Ooh good luck!

[MrPan]

Er....isn't this a pretty childish thing to do, over a very serious issue?

The advice from Sport England is just that at the moment. Advice.

All you'd be doing is embarrassing the pool staff who ahve nothing to do with these guidlines formulation.

So I'm assuming you are too intelligent to actually do this and it's a wheeze, as in ' suppose if...'

[TallulahWaitingInTheRain]

I think men will turn out to be fiercely protective of male spaces of all kinds. It just hasn't really come up yet as they haven't yet been threatened.

[HermioneWeasley]

Shero!

[senua]

That's a good compromise. Get your written record of events in first and then it's up to them to agree that that is what they said or to deny it in writing. Will you cc the MP?

[LizzieSiddal]

OP great, they are prepared for you. It will be even more interesting to hear what they have to say.

You say they’ve “contacted head offfice” so is it a chain of centres?

[senua]

All you'd be doing is embarrassing the pool staff who have nothing to do with these guidelines formulation.

What? You mean "I was only following orders" defence?