Are there no single sex changing rooms in Glasgow?

[Ragingweegie]

I've been lurking on this board for some time and I'm well aware how awful the situation is here in Scotland but until today I didn't realise female only changing rooms no longer exist. When did this happen? I went into H and M today and noticed the former mens changing room closed off with a sign up saying the changing room on the lower floor was open so I asked a member of staff if there were any ladies only changing rooms and was met with a rather curt "No. Sorry." I then went into Primark and noticed the same thing. Mens changing room closed off and the womans one open to all. The member of staff there was more courteous when she saw me looking confused. She confirmed that all the changing rooms were unisex but that she would get the manager if I wanted or she could offer me the accessible changing room. I politely refused (I didn't think being female was a disability) and left instead. I had wanted to try on bras but there was no chance that was happening, especially in H and M where there was a man now standing outside their changing room (flimsy curtains not cubicles) looking as confused as I felt. Are there really no female only changing rooms left?

I'm going to buy a gadget that is supposed to detect hidden cameras (you can read reviews and buy them on line). Then I shall go round all the shops with mixed sex changing rooms waving it about ostentatiously. And telling everyone, customers and staff, what I'm doing, prefaced by the words "Don't be alarmed".

@Chersfrozenface

I'm going to buy a gadget that is supposed to detect hidden cameras (you can read reviews and buy them on line). Then I shall go round all the shops with mixed sex changing rooms waving it about ostentatiously. And telling everyone, customers and staff, what I'm doing, prefaced by the words "Don't be alarmed".

I'm a bit by this response. Most women just prefer to try clothes on in a single sex changing room. I don't think that's unusual or bigoted in any way. I don't blame you for leaving @Ragingweegie I'd have done the same.

@Chersfrozenface

I'm going to buy a gadget that is supposed to detect hidden cameras (you can read reviews and buy them on line). Then I shall go round all the shops with mixed sex changing rooms waving it about ostentatiously. And telling everyone, customers and staff, what I'm doing, prefaced by the words "Don't be alarmed".

South Korea had a big problem of hidden cameras in women's public toilets quite recently. Peeping Toms exist. So that fear is not quite as far-fetched as you might think. Voyeurism exists. www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/voyeurism

This is so utterly wrong!! I can't believe women and girls are being put at risk like this.

What I don't get is the fact that these shops have both boarded large sections of changing rooms. If they already had the space, why not have male, female and mixed? It wouldn't cost them any more money and they'd be catering for everybody.

Or even just female and mixed since women spend more time and money in clothes shops than men (the women I know anyways). Nobody I've told about this was aware they were using unisex changing rooms and were quite shocked when I told them. Obviously they haven't been in when any men have been in there. Maybe men are just trying stuff on at home?

@Ragingweegie

What I don't get is the fact that these shops have both boarded large sections of changing rooms. If they already had the space, why not have male, female and mixed? It wouldn't cost them any more money and they'd be catering for everybody.

To rational people, this is the obvious solution and gives lots of options.

What it doesn't do is provide validation to those determined to use the female single sex spaces they are not entitled to due to their sex. Any mention of third spaces (which would be useful for several different groups) is 'othering and transphobic'.

Dont use the dressing rooms. Buy their clothes then return them.

So don't try on 3 dresses/bras in 'inclusive' changing rooms.
Buy/order 3, return 2. Or 3.

@spidersenses

This is so utterly wrong!! I can't believe women and girls are being put at risk like this.

What I really hate is the deception. The ladies changing rooms are in the same place they always were and presumably women are going in not knowing the changing rooms are unisex. Seriously, did everyone else know about this but me? They should have clear signage so women can choose to self exclude and wont end up in the embarrassing position of looking through the gap in a changing room curtain only to see a strange man walking past looking in!

@MiladyBerserko

Dont use the dressing rooms. Buy their clothes then return them.

So don't try on 3 dresses/bras in 'inclusive' changing rooms.
Buy/order 3, return 2. Or 3.

Yes, because everyone has unlimited sums of money to tie up in this manner 🙄

@MiladyBerserko

Dont use the dressing rooms. Buy their clothes then return them.

So don't try on 3 dresses/bras in 'inclusive' changing rooms.
Buy/order 3, return 2. Or 3.

I think that's a fair solution. Even if it takes away some of the shopping experience.

I didn’t know this and took my daughter into the Primark changing room in Saturday. I was only aware when a man went to walk into the ‘mens’ and got redirected as it’s all one changing room now. This was Ayr.
I would not have used them had I known.

@MiladyBerserko

Dont use the dressing rooms. Buy their clothes then return them.

So don't try on 3 dresses/bras in 'inclusive' changing rooms.
Buy/order 3, return 2. Or 3.

That’s fine if you can afford to do so and live near a returns point. Not everyone will be in that position.

@Alwayspaintyournails

I didn’t know this and took my daughter into the Primark changing room in Saturday. I was only aware when a man went to walk into the ‘mens’ and got redirected as it’s all one changing room now. This was Ayr. I would not have used them had I known.

I was in East Kilbride, then Glasgow city centre. I don't get it. They're not just saying trans women can come in, they're saying ANY man can come in. I guess there aren't any pedophiles, voyeurs or any other sort of pervert in Scotland anymore. Good to know.

I don't really understand your point. H&M and Primark are large chains. I very much doubt the Glasgow stores have a different changing room policy from elsewhere in the UK. Journalists have written numerous articles about H&M's changing room policy starting with the ones in Oxford St.

Plus H&M and Primark are only two stores so it seems odd to say there are no single sex changing rooms in the entire city. Other stores do have single sex changing rooms.

I agree completely that women's changing rooms should be single sex. I just think it's a bit odd that you've somehow extrapolated that two massive chain stores would treat their Glasgow stores different from everywhere else or that it means every changing room in Glasgow has now changed.

@AnnesBrokenSlate

I don't really understand your point. H&M and Primark are large chains. I very much doubt the Glasgow stores have a different changing room policy from elsewhere in the UK. Journalists have written numerous articles about H&M's changing room policy starting with the ones in Oxford St.

Plus H&M and Primark are only two stores so it seems odd to say there are no single sex changing rooms in the entire city. Other stores do have single sex changing rooms.

I agree completely that women's changing rooms should be single sex. I just think it's a bit odd that you've somehow extrapolated that two massive chain stores would treat their Glasgow stores different from everywhere else or that it means every changing room in Glasgow has now changed.

I mentioned Glasgow in the title simply because I live there and that's where I was shopping. If you know which chains still have single sex changing rooms, please tell me! Someone's just told me that New Look and M&S have the same policy. Don't know if it's true or not but if it is, then that covers most of the shops I'd normally go into.

Swimming pool changing rooms at scostoun leisure centre constantly had peep holes drilled in them. And men putting camera phones over or under the doors. Staff were tasked with checking for holes every day and blocking them up. It was an everyday occurrence for them

my poor DD wouldn't try on swimming costumes in H&M on Buchanan at as there were loads of boys sitting on the seats in the changing rooms. I totally get how she felt, those flimsy curtains could easily be pulled back and hard to get them to fully close sometimes. It's not acceptable really

It’s very likely they’re moving towards mixed sex as standard because trying to offer single sex has become too difficult for them.

We’ll see more of this. The Equality Act exemptions are exemptions if you want to offer an exemption, there is no requirement to offer them, IYSWIM.

D'you think it's a money-saving thing? Or due to having fewer customers than pre-Covid?

FFS. I live in Glasgow and feel so uninspired by the shops I haven't been shopping for ages to notice this.

I have no doubt this is all part of the gender agenda. Also interesting to hear about men's rooms closed off and men redirected - in Caroline Criado Perez's book she talks about how places often just close the men's facilities and slap a unisex sign on women's.

@DressingGownSequins

Swimming pool changing rooms at scostoun leisure centre constantly had peep holes drilled in them. And men putting camera phones over or under the doors. Staff were tasked with checking for holes every day and blocking them up. It was an everyday occurrence for them

This is horrific. I was planning to start using the pool if it ever reopens...hope this has been sorted!

Maybe men are just trying stuff on at home?
I think there is a lot less variety in the "fit" of men's clothes that means trying on often not required - dh can lift a M and a certain let length and 9 times out of 10 that's him done. And let's face it, there's still a lot of men wearing clothes bought for them by their partners.