Mixed gender Swimming Pool Changing Rooms

[balleticspin]

So why are all swimming pools now built with mixed space changing rooms?

I feel uncomfortable changing in them even though they have separate cubicles. They are not enclosed and a walk from the showers.

Whilst taking my DC to swimming lessons I am pretty certain a man was filming a child in the shower and I made a complaint. They didn't seem too concerned.

WTF is going on?

There should be provision for family changing but not as a complete replacement for single sex provision.

The ideal for me is one of each and a family change as I have a 9 year old boy, who finds the men's changing room intimidating on his own (apparently all the blokes wander around naked), but he's clearly too old for the ladies now.

So DS2 and I go into the ladies, get changed as quickly as possible, and DS1 wears his swimmers under his clothes/a onsie after and we meet him outside again - but I worry all the time, he's a young 9. Luckily showers are poolside so he can rinse with us before and after.

Given a choice of single or mixed sex (and assuming I don't have the kids with me) I will always choose single sex. I feel (and statistically am) safer plus they're generally more civilised.

There should be provision for family changing but not as a complete replacement for single sex provision.

So this is what I meant. You need single sex facilities (take up less room and great for larger groups like schools or swimming classes), mixed sex family cubicles and then the rest single lockable cubicles. Plus you need staff pattrolling. You really do. No leisure center should put in mixed facilities and then leave women and girls to fend for themselves.

The most vulnerable I’ve ever felt is in deserted female only changing rooms. I know the gym and reception staff are male so wouldn’t be coming in but what if a man slipped in while I’m in the shower.
I’d rather be in a less private changing “village” open to the poolside.

I understand that you do, museumum, but can you imagine that others disagree and that villages have their own challenges?
There is no perfect solution, there is sadly awlays risks, but only providing one solution, mixed sex, that is know to provide more risk, and then tell women not to be concerned, is not the solution to the problem.
In your case, trained female staff present and a panic button would be an option, wouldn't you say?

I’ve only used a mixed sex ‘changing village’ once.
A man put his head under the side of my cubicle.

Now I stick to pools and gyms with female only facilities.

I know not all women mind changing near men, but please don’t consent for all of us.

I like the mixed changing villages personally, I wouldn't feel safe sending DS into the men's on his own at all.

I remember going with my dad when I was a little girl, he had to take me into the men's which were all open, wrinkly old man willies everywhere!

As a slight de-rail, look out for how many places that have floor to ceiling cubicles also have doors that open inwards.

Doors should open outwards to ensure that if someone collapses behind the door, the door still opens for rescue without the casualty blocking it on the other side.

Outwards opening doors are a pain if the lock is broken though as it's more difficult to stop the door swinging open wide!

My local swimming pool recently changed to mixed sex with gaps over the top and bottom of doors. I don't feel safe changing there so I don't use it anymore.

The pool I went to as a child had individual cubicles. The cubicles and indeed the showers were around the pool itself though, so always loads of people including staff around, I think any voyeurs would have been easily spotted.

As a child I found communal single-sex changing rooms way more uncomfortable.

With ours you walk in and there are lockable changing cubicles for everyone. No communal changing areas. Then leading off there through a closed door are the ladies showers and toilets on one side and then mens on the other. In the showers there are 3 lockable showers and then communal showers but single sac only.

It seems to work.

Single sex only :)

They then have special school group changing rooms which are single sex and for classes only. The pool is closed fo the public whilst school swimming lessons are going on.

Mixed sex are generally easier for families and those with older SN children or adults with SN. You can send the child into the cubicle next door comfortable in the knowledge that you can hear if there's a problem. Disabled change and family changes often mean neither DS (whose know 12) or me get much privacy, especially if they are fully enclosed or open to the pool or dont have a seat outside.

We've had them round here for 30 odd years. Nothing has ever hit the headlines here, I'm not saying there isnt a problem ever but ive never known there to be. Open at the top and bottom has always seemed preferable to me as it is easier to get into or see if there is a problem. You're less likely to get locked in and less claustrophobic.

My part of Europe has single sex communal changing rooms which I much prefer. It would be better though if there were family rooms as an added option (on one occasional the OH took DD swimming and she didn't want to go in the men's changing rooms, the staff told them to use the disabled room which of course isn't ideal)

Oh fuck the fuck off Charleston. Anyone who thinks that women are more vulnerable and in need of more protection than children either needs to cop the fuck on or stop being such a twat that they make every sensible person switch off from any vestige of a coherent argument than you might have. Women need protection but not as much as children. Children, small humans with immature brains and a fraction of the strength of any adult male or female. They need more protections than any other class of person on the fucking planet.

Most public pools I’ve ever been to have a mixed ‘changing village’ and showers. As long as there are separate cubicles I find it better, it’s easier for families changing. It’s not a new thing.

It's not a new thing, but it is a bad thing that therefore should be being phased out not made more common.

We have data on how dangerous..how many more women are being violated as a result..we can make things safer.

We did not have seat belts in the past, they were seen as constraining, but the safely issues became clear and it became intolerable to allow people to travel without seatbelts,

It's not a new thing, but it is a bad thing that therefore should be being phased out not made more common.

Do you mean mixed sex changing? I dont think it should be phased out. Plenty of people, as evidenced on here, prefer it. It should be available alongside single sex provision.

Just as people argue that no one should give up single sex provision on behalf of other women I really don't think you should seek to do away with mixed sex provision just because you don't like it.

I don't prefer mixed at all, for me, but I prefer it to sending an 8 year old into the men's alone.
I used to go to a pool with cubicles all round the outside of the pool. That was the best as so public noone could try anything.

If having both options keeps people happy, then fine.

Perhaps with a safety awareness notice?

Only partially tongue in cheek there. You are putting yourself at an increased risk by using mixed changing areas

Suppose it's like smoking* no one thought it was dangerous, then no one thought it would happen to them , and now

*yes the risk is lower. But not in many peoples eyes negligible

Poops the * was meant to be a pointer to a footnote, I forgot about the bold markers!

A man was banned from all Liverpool council owned leisure centres last week for taking photos of a woman, naked, in the next cubicle. He held his camera under the partition.

I really don't think you should seek to do away with mixed sex provision just because you don't like it

Not because we don’t like it, but because it’s putting women (and children) at risk.

Best for all would be women's, men’s, a couple of single occupancy suitable for anyone, accessible suitable for anyone and some large ‘family’ type cubicles for accompanied by opposite sex children.

The mixed sex single occupancy would have to be regularly inspected for spy cameras, mind you.

Best for all would be women's, men’s, a couple of single occupancy suitable for anyone, accessible suitable for anyone and some large ‘family’ type cubicles for accompanied by opposite sex children.

How feasible would this be? How many separate changing areas are you going to need for example? Would the family, mixed sex cubicles, accessible cubicles have their own shower facilities for example? And how many of each type would you need? As someone else pointed out many families like the privacy whilst providing assistance that mixed sex changing allows. So an opposite sex parent can change in an adjacent cubicle to their older child but be on hand to help if required. Changing in a family room removes their privacy.

I think mixed sex plus single sex covers all bases. Anyone who thinks mixed sex is too unsafe can avoid it by using the single sex provision.

It's not subject to any laws of physics.

It's just a case of what price is being put on peoples safety and comfort