Transgender Gym Mess

[Dawnlight]

If he has male genitalia, he should use the mens locker room.

If the person appears as female in every external way- clothing, hair, make-up, breasts- should they use the men's room even if they haven't had the operation to alter their male genitalia? (Generally the last step in a long transitioning process) Should the same apply to those with female genitalia who appear externally as men? You'd be okay with a female-to-male transgender walking into your changing area with the appearance of maleness so long as they still retain their girly bits?

 

[Eliza32]

The gym probably revoked her membership because she expressed views that are discriminatory regarding gender realignment. They were protecting the other members, and thier own organisational reputation. She could use a cubicle.

 

[Lynne M]

I have no clue what problem people have with this. If you don't want people looking at you and having sexual thoughts as you change your clothes, you'd better be changing in a private area, or in a bathroom stall. Because as a PP said, it's just as likely that a woman may be looking at you that way as a man.

Some people are very modest, and that's absolutely their right. Gyms should provide private changing areas for those who don't want to disrobe in front of others. Problem solved.

A transgender person is walking a difficult path. I'm not going to make a huge public stink and make their life harder, when I can simply step into a private area to change.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I have no clue what problem people have with this. If you don't want people looking at you and having sexual thoughts as you change your clothes, you'd better be changing in a private area, or in a bathroom stall. Because as a PP said, it's just as likely that a woman may be looking at you that way as a man.

Some people are very modest, and that's absolutely their right. Gyms should provide private changing areas for those who don't want to disrobe in front of others. Problem solved.

A transgender person is walking a difficult path. I'm not going to make a huge public stink and make their life harder, when I can simply step into a private area to change.

This is exactly what I was trying to say. I sometimes have problems gathering my thoughts! (Don't we all occasionally?)

 

[PollyannaMom]

My Y has four different changing rooms, and who they're for changes depending on the day and time! There are signs on the doors that supposedly explain all this, but it seems way more complicated than necessary to me.

I think between all the over 18 / under 18, men's / women's, family changing rooms, transgender questions, etc., that places are eventually just going to go to individual changing rooms.

 

[Colleen27]

At our HS, transgendered teens use the restroom/locker room for the sex they identify with.

That how our HS and the college I attend both handle it, and as far as I know that's been a non-issue. I don't see why a locker room should be any different. Every gym I've been in has private shower stalls and changing stalls for those not comfortable changing in the open; if I was uncomfortable sharing the locker room with someone for whatever reason I'd simply use one of those.

 

[DizBelle]

How long until some guy "says" he identifies as a female just so he can go into the women's locker room to get a look at their "goods"?

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

How long until some guy "says" he identifies as a female just so he can go into the women's locker room to get a look at their "goods"?

That's just the thing. ANYONE attracted to females could do that.

 

[Disneylover99]

How long until some guy "says" he identifies as a female just so he can go into the women's locker room to get a look at their "goods"?

Some people don't care who sees their "goods". If you care about who sees yours, then use a cubicle.

 

[Shutterbug]

How do you know that you aren't currently sharing a dressing room with a transgender person? Do you look at their "stuff"? There may very well be times that you've shared a dressing room or restroom with a transgendered person and you would be none the wiser.

At the YMCA I go to, for the men there are no private showers. Its one big room with shower heads on the wall every 5ft. Yeah it would be hard not to notice if a person with female body parts were showering next to me. There are also no cubicles in the locker room itself either.
Another words no privacy.

 

[Dawnlight]

At the YMCA I go to, for the men there are no private showers. Its one big room with shower heads on the wall every 5ft. Yeah it would be hard not to notice if a person with female body parts were showering next to me. There are also no cubicles in the locker room itself either.
Another words no privacy.

Same at our Y. That doesn't mean one would have to view nakey bits. My boys all shower, after swimming, with their swim shorts on. None of them want their stuff hanging out for all to see, and I can imagine that a transgender who has not undergone gender reassignment surgery would be careful with what is being shown. Either they'd shower with a swimsuit or shower at home.

 

[Shutterbug]

Same at our Y. That doesn't mean one would have to view nakey bits. My boys all shower, after swimming, with their swim shorts on. None of them want their stuff hanging out for all to see, and I can imagine that a transgender who has not undergone gender reassignment surgery would be careful with what is being shown. Either they'd shower with a swimsuit or shower at home.

As I mentioned its just not the shower room. Its also the locker room that there is no privacy so even if you are wearing a swimsuit in the shower, you still have to take it off at some point in the locker room. Also its not a big locker room either. So again if that type of space it would be hard not to notice that type of thing.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I agree: people should use the change-room/rest room they identify as. If you are concerned about being seen by others, use a cubicle.

At the recreation centre near my house, they have men's, women's and "family" change rooms. In the family change room, you get everything - moms with kids, dads with kids, seniors, and quite possibly trans people as well. It is set up with large curtained cubicle areas but there are plenty of naked and semi-dressed people walking around. No problems.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

If someone is truly transgender (which is what it seems in the LA Fitness story), I don't care. But, it will only be a matter of time until perverted opportunists try to gain entrance into women's bathrooms/locker rooms to sneak a peek, a picture, a video, or look at little girls changing. Sad, but true.

What is stopping a non-transgender male from saying "I am a transgender and I want access to a bathroom where women and teens are changing"?

Separate stalls are needed with floor to ceiling walls.

 

[Dawnlight]

If someone is truly transgender (which is what it seems in the LA Fitness story), I don't care. But, it will only be a matter of time until perverted opportunists try to gain entrance into women's bathrooms/locker rooms to sneak a peek, a picture, a video, or look at little girls changing. Sad, but true.

What is stopping a non-transgender male from saying "I am a transgender and I want access to a bathroom where women and teens are changing"?

Separate stalls are needed with floor to ceiling walls.

What stops perverts now? A sign on the door of a woman or man? No. There are pervs everywhere or either gender and either orientation. There was a local supermarket that had a perv taking upshots of a little girl in full daylight with her mother right next to her.

Not providing reasonable and safe accommodations to transgender people, who are also potential victims of abuse, is wrong.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

What stops perverts now? A sign on the door of a woman or man?

I guess what would stop a perv now is if I was in a changing room and a man walked in, I would feel I had the right to scream at him to get out? Call the cops? Have him removed?

Pretty soon, we will have no he/she barriers, which some are very comfortable with. But, there also has to be consideration for those who are not comfortable showering/changing with those of the opposite sex.

 

[SMD]

Take transgender or gender out of the story.

Gym has a policy regarding how their facilities are used. Member A disagrees with how Member B utilizes the facilities without violating said policy. Member A complains to the gym, policy is reiterated. Member A complains to corporate, policy is reiterated. Member A then decides to return to the gym to complain about that policy to Members C, D, E, F, etc. Gym decides they would no longer like Member A to use their facilities as they do not wish to change their policy nor do they wish to have Member B or their own business repeatedly disparaged. They also would not like to lose Members C, D, E, F, etc who were just trying to utilize the facilities without having to hear Member A's complaints.

Now what's the problem? The only issue I see is if this woman had said that she wasn't aware of their transgender policy and would like to be released from her contract and they said no, you have to keep paying. That doesn't appear to be the case here. This clearly wasn't the gym for her.

 

[OZMom]

She didn't lose her membership because she complained, she lost it because her behavior was harassing and (sounds like to me) obnoxious.

What's more uncomfortable, a transgender person coming in, changing and leaving or a woman in there announcing to everyone in ear shot "they let a man change in here, Hey did you know they let a man change in here?" It's not like the transgendered person was in there harassing people, they were changing their clothes.

I think if more women had been concerned, then the reporters would have found more than just this one woman to interview. We only have her word on what the person looked like, for all we know they presented completely female until they got changed and she just happened to notice their genitals.

Basically she didn't read her contract, because it definitely has the information she claims she was never given in it, and she went out of her way to make a lot of people uncomfortable because of her own ignorance.

 

[Disneylover99]

As I mentioned its just not the shower room. Its also the locker room that there is no privacy so even if you are wearing a swimsuit in the shower, you still have to take it off at some point in the locker room. Also its not a big locker room either. So again if that type of space it would be hard not to notice that type of thing.

It's unfortunate that there are no privacy showers or cubicles for people who wish to keep their privates, private. I think it's okay and only natural to notice a transgender person in this situation. It wouldn't bother me if I noticed though.

 

[Missy1961]

I have no clue what problem people have with this. If you don't want people looking at you and having sexual thoughts as you change your clothes, you'd better be changing in a private area, or in a bathroom stall. Because as a PP said, it's just as likely that a woman may be looking at you that way as a man.

Some people are very modest, and that's absolutely their right. Gyms should provide private changing areas for those who don't want to disrobe in front of others. Problem solved.

A transgender person is walking a difficult path. I'm not going to make a huge public stink and make their life harder, when I can simply step into a private area to change.

Exactly. I agree 100%.