Risk assessments regarding clothing shop changing rooms

[finnmcool]

I'm bloody frustrated! I've phoned New Look, Topshop, John Lewis and Marks and Spencer asking for information about what risk assessments they did when they decided to allow males who self id as females into the changing rooms.

Not one of them could give me an answer, they're all getting back to me.
Marks and Spencer have to be highlighted for their aggressive stance though.
I was talked over, interrupted and told they aren't changing their policy. I was told that I can't even put a freedom of information request in, because their policy 'comes under business model'
This was a woman in the management team
.
GLL, haven't got back to me yet, regarding their gym/swim changing room policy.
How is it not a breach of law to allow males into women's spaces without consent and risk assessing?
Sorry, I'm a lurker who occasionally comments, but I quietly fight our battles in my area.
Thank you if you've read my rant.

Thank you Bickerin I really appreciate that, and the flowers. I'm just not as clued up as you all are, but I just couldn't stay quiet about this.
I really do love the support that is always shown on the feminist boards, I'm still on my recovery journey, so still feeling timid and nervous, but! I will always stand up for women and girls.
Thank you again for your support, you've given me some more courage!

Shops are private so can do what they like tbh, although the insurance factor is a thing.

I think all this will erode boundaries anyway. I was in cubicle with dad the other day (curtains fortunately not gappy ones) and heard male voice outside. I stepped out and stood guard with arms crossed :D turned out to be a chap called in by girlfriend to see her outfit, he scarpered. There used to be an invisible barrier though which seems to be faltering.

Only solution is to have them all open into where people are, with doors that can't easily be unlocked from outside. That does scupper the showing your mum /mates stuff which is a real shame. Looking back, I've stepped out and asked random women to do me up, been asked for opinion on stuff. I didn't realise but yes it was a womens space where women were a bit more relaxed. I think that will go and its a shame. I also think that is the aim. Either let men in on these things or they will be shut down.

Thank you Humber I feel the strength and support from you amazing women!

I think it will be a 'don't know what you've got till it's gone' thing with all of this.

Not being able to get away from men in clubs and pubs is a bit of an issue. I mean, asking with all the other issues!

Not with dad! With DD

Fucking autocorrect 😁

Thank you again jacky you women really do inspire me!

I can't figure out how to post edited emails, removing my personal information?
I just wanted to show a couple of emails I sent to GLL, questioning their risk assessments.

I just wanted to show a couple of emails I sent to GLL, questioning their risk assessments.

Perhaps copy & paste just the text content of the message you sent?

fairplayforwomen.com/changing_rooms/
Dear Mr Forrest,
I am as yet, unable to respond to the literature you sent me, regarding trans access to women's spaces in a non emotional, non personal way.
What I see is complete dereliction of safeguarding for women and girls. I am amazed the outlined policies passed a risk assessment. I am also deeply concerned by the companies listed for more information. Stonewall clasifies cross dressers as being transgender and Mermaids supports the medicalisation of children to stop the onset of puberty.
I thought I would send you this information to read, it might help GLL understand that the vast majority of women nationwide don't want shared spaces and why we don't want them.
With kind regards

Dear Mr Forrest,
Further to our ongoing communication regarding trans access to women's spaces, I would like information on the following please.
GLL risk assessment for women and girls, regarding allowing self sex identifying males to share what should be female only spaces.

Contact information for GLL insurers.
Do I need to put in a freedom of information request? Or can you directly give me this information?
Many thanks
With kind regards

Finnmcool You sound very clued up and articulate. What you went through, awful. Amazing that you are trying to fight back on all this,if we all do these little things then it adds up.

Thank you jacky you're a bloody genius!

Thank you so much oncewasablue the support from women who are much better at this than me, has boosted my confidence.

Just to clarify, I haven't had a response to either of my emails.

Well M&S have a trans person doing bra fitting in one of their flagship stores, so don’t hold your breath for them to have an analysis that involves women’s right to privacy based on sex.

Muta it's interesting you say that, might explain M&S aggressive stance on their changing room policy.

I get confused with the term gas lighting...can i just check

So someone saying that its impossible to have same sex changing rooms and toilets when we've had then for 50/60/70 years would be gaslighting...yeah?

My plan with changing rooms would be carrying on with then as they are, really really don’t understand why now its so difficult

I keep banging the same drum, because I honestly believe that the only reason ships and gyms are so contemptuous of women's concerns is be ause most of their customers aren't aware what the policy is regarding mixed sex spaces. I believe that leafleting or stickers outside stores that have dismissed women's concerns might change attitudes.

outandabout

I agree

Our single sex changing rooms seem to be changing to miixed sex...no intention of advising the customers

With the added bonus that if the usual suspects who shout down women, outside women's meetings, turn up as counter-demonstration then it let's everyone see just how gentle and feminine they are.

Its simple really.

Women are much more alert to possible danger than men. If they dont feel safe, they won't go. High Street shops cannot afford t lose customers. Nor can leisure centres.

So a group of school girls in Top Shop spy someone they perceive as "creepy". They don't complain, they just don't go back. Ditto the teacher taking a primary school class swimming. If she and her assistant feel that they can no longer protect the safety of 30 excited children in what has become a mixed sex changing room, they don't return.

People should be concerned about a sudden shift in policy from encouraging women and girls to lead more active lives, and encouraging women and girls from more conservative communities to take part in activities outside the home to aid community cohesion, but clearly not. The Stonewall misogynists don't care. For them it is all about the Trans. (And that, Ruth, is why you betrayed us so badly.)

However women spend money. One exhibitionist person from the outer rim of the Stonewall umbrella will deter plenty of people. There is some statistic of how negative customer experiences travel far further than positive ones. Men may tell us we should not mind, but if we don't enjoy our shopping or swimming experience, we may not say anything but the venue loses revenue. It becomes all-lose, just because a relatively small number of people are not prepared to go through the current GRA gatekeeping processes nor spend about the same as elderly people need to spend for Power of Attorney documents.

I know it’s not quite the same, but I’m currently on a bus. An obvious and understandably mixed sex mode of transport. I was just thinking about the TWO separate occasions that I had men, not just expose themselves to me but actually masturbate. I was very young and on both occasions sitting at the back of the bus. I just sat there feeling sick and afraid. I told no one on the bus. That’s because I was embarrassed at the thought of people’s reactions. ‘Had I caused it? Was it my fault for sitting there? Etc’

I now know it was nothing I did and the reason I didn’t do anything was because I’d was the daughter of a paedophilic and had been taught to be afraid and shut up.

I’m now a 51yr old woman and I would still rather stand than sit at the back of a bus. You can get to fuck if you think I’m going to hand over Female rights and spaces to men.