Center Parcs spa changing rooms again

[flowery]

Along with a few others, I emailed Center Parcs to enquire about the changing facilities at Aqua Sana, and whether they were no longer single sex, and expressing my concern about that.

I had the standard line sent back by email, "we trust everyone to be nice and we respect everyone's dignity", to which I responded saying I was glad they prioritised my dignity, but that's not good enough.

I had a phone call back, during which I was told that "they use the private changing room" and "they are going through a transition" and "they are female legally".

I requested that the response be confirmed in writing, which I was promised it would be. Surprise surprise, no such email was forthcoming. So I chased it. Nothing. I chased it again, copying in the main guest services email. I asked three direct simple questions.

1. Is it in fact Center Parcs policy that transwomen only use the private changing room in the spa?
2. I was told "they are going through a transition", does Center Parcs seek any evidence that this is indeed the case, or does a person just need to wander up and proclaim themselves to be a woman?
3. I was also told "they are female legally" - this is only the case if the person has a GRC, can Center Parcs confirm the policy of allowing entry to female changing rooms only applies to transgender individuals with a certificate?

I have now had a response, which basically says, "we're not telling you, and we're not talking to you about this any more, we have nothing further to say".

WTF?!

I'm not actually sure what to do now. The email also says this is the most senior person so I can't escalate it. I told her unless she is the CEO, she is not the most senior person thank you very much.

"consistently disrespecting single sex spaces and half of their customer base."

I think they're disrespecting the vast majority of their customer base. I don't know what percentage of their customers are transgender individuals but I would guess it is vanishingly small. Whereas the proportion of their customers who are women with families like me is extremely high.

I agree with that flowery, I suppose I'm taking it personally as my husband sees the issue but doesn't support me in calling this policy into question.

He would want us to keep going to CP, as you have said it is our happy place but our imminent trip is our last, because of all this, he just doesn't know it yet.

It's more than half as some men will also be offended by this policy, sadly my husband is not one of them.

As you say they shouldn't be ashamed to punish it yet.

Has anyone called in with a deep voice to ask for a bikini wax? I do wonder how the female staff would feel about doing one for Yaniv if he was visiting the UK.

*publish

It does not make clear what their policy is AT ALL because they won't define a transwoman!

I’m just really really hoping that the recent increased mainstream media discussion of this issue will give them the confidence to revert to their previous policy. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

Oh for goodness sake OP, your posts are so transphobic they should be allowed. Please don't give up your break on the off chance that a man in a dress decides to pay for a session at aqua sana just to get a peek at you slipping out of your swimming costume and into your bloomers

*shouldn't be allowed

Eh? How are they transphobic??

Anyway feel free to report anything you feel contradicts MN guidelines. In the meantime I will continue to discuss whether a leisure provider should or should not uphold the Equality Act.

Bloomers? That's a bit ageist isn't it

If they are confident in their policy they'll have no problem putting it in writing and publicising it on the website

How would they word that, though if they took your view?
Something like "Our policy states that no trans women are allowed in the women's areas."
That sounds awfully......discriminatory.
Not trying to be flippant, that seems to be what you're suggesting when you say you want it all out there in writing.

Skeeter i don't give a crap if a man wears a dress I just want him to keep his penis out of the female changing room. You know females? The ones with the female reproductive organs and the XX chromosomes?

Imagine the effrontery of wanting to know a service provider's policies as they have an impact on safeguarding. The very nerve of it.

Imagine the effrontery of wanting to know a service provider's policies as they have an impact on safeguarding. The very nerve of it

They've told her though where they stand on trans women being allowed in women's areas.

Skeeter i don't give a crap if a man wears a dress I just want him to keep his penis out of the female changing room. You know females? The ones with the female reproductive organs and the XX chromosomes?

Agreed

Anyway feel free to report anything you feel contradicts MN guidelines. In the meantime I will continue to discuss whether a leisure provider should or should not uphold the Equality Act.

Carry on OP, Center Parcs will be a much nicer place for the majority of us with you

🙄👏🏻

”How would they word that, though if they took your view? Something like "Our policy states that no trans women are allowed in the women's areas."
That sounds awfully......discriminatory.
Not trying to be flippant, that seems to be what you're suggesting when you say you want it all out there in writing.”

Doesn’t sound at all discriminatory. All they have to say is that changing is single sex, as it always has been. It’s perfectly lawful and not at all discriminatory under the Equality Act to do so and to exclude transgender people accordingly.

I’m perfectly comfortable with the legislation just as it is.

Welcome to mumsnet Skeeter2020.

I am fairly sure that the word "transcript" will be assumed to be transphobic, and probably by making one you have committed a hate crime.

I just realised something. They didn't reply to my emails but told me over the phone quite quickly what their policy was, even though it was not clear and changed depending on who I spoke to.

I wonder if they are deliberately avoiding putting it in writing as they don't want it to be clear cut.

Funny that.

I am fairly sure that the word "transcript" will be assumed to be transphobic, and probably by making one you have committed a hate crime

It was a joke, WotchaTalkinBoutWillis....

Except that possibly, it wasn't a joke at all but as serious as the paediatrician whose house was graffitied by people who thought she was a paedophile.

They don't know how to define transwoman.
They don't understand the equality act.

My latest Yougov survey was asking me for positive/negative impressions of CP. Which suggests they do care how they are viewed since they're doing market research.