New YMCA Locker Rooms (This Has Nothing to do With Gender Identity Politics)

[ronandannette]

Watching my local supper-time news and they just televised the ribbon-cutting at a new YMCA location in our city that has a single Universal Locker Room. This is one big space with individual private shower and change stalls. Clothing is required at all times in the common areas and children under 6 must be accompanied. All the washroom facilities are single person, handi-capped accessible, locking rooms with a toilet and sink, to be used by anyone. There are plans to renovate the other 3 local Ys to have the same set up. The reason given is economy and efficiency in both money and space.

What do you think? I'm not a YMCA member but if I was I guess I'd either like it or lump it, but I actually think the private change stalls are an upgrade. Personally, I'm super-modest and not a big fan of locker rooms to begin with; at my gym I arrive and leave in my workout clothes and never shower there. At swimming pools I always dry off and change in a "stall" even if I have to use the bathroom to do it.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Prudes at the gym or pool. Ugh. It's my luck to always have to used the restroom and they are full of people changing.
It's just body parts. We all have them. I dont get it.
But sounds like the Y is trying to solve the situation.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

If this is what people who go to these YMCA locations want, it benefits them to adapt to their customers' desires. It wouldn't bother me, but regular locker rooms don't either. I visit Korean spas where the "wet room" - showers, steam room, soaking pools - is one big open space and everyone is nude, but they are gender-segregated.

 

[ronandannette]

Prudes at the gym or pool. Ugh. It's my luck to always have to used the restroom and they are full of people changing.
It's just body parts. We all have them. I dont get it.
But sounds like the Y is trying to solve the situation.

Guilty as charged - I don't get naked in front of anybody except DH. And yes, I'm also uncomfortable seeing other strangers without clothes on. You're right that this set up would be of benefit to both you and me.

 

[ronandannette]

If this is what people who go to these YMCA locations want, it benefits them to adapt to their customers' desires. It wouldn't bother me, but regular locker rooms don't either. I visit Korean spas where the "wet room" - showers, steam room, soaking pools - is one big open space and everyone is nude, but they are gender-segregated.

I'm not sure they asked anyone. I'm not a Y member but tonight's news is the first I've heard of it and I'd imagine it might have been brought up in the media if anyone found it controversial.

 

[smokeyblue]

I like the idea. I was a member at the Y here for a short time and the locker room was very hectic even at the slow times during the day. Also, now that everyone has a cell phone, it seems even less private. My old gym was just in a strip mall. They had two single bathroom/showers, one assigned to Men and Woman. They finally wised up and just made them both unisex. Honestly, I had popped in the mens room on a few occasions before the switch to wash my hands in the sink when the ladies room was occupied.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Our local municipal recreation centre has three change rooms: one for men (open with lockers and individual bathroom stalls), one for women (same) and the "family room" which has curtained cubicles as well as larger individual bathroom stalls (so parents can be in there with a child, or if someone is using a wheelchair). The family room is also popular with people like me who really don't want other people to have to see her naked. I think this is a good solution, but I think what your Y is doing sounds good too. It was always awkward for me when I would take my grandkids swimming. Do I leave the 8 year old boy to change alone in a room with a bunch of strange men? Or bring him in to the changeroom with me and a bunch of strange, naked women? The family room makes it so much easier!

 

[RedAngie]

Sounds like the showering facilities at DD's college, at least in her dorm. Individual stalls with a shower and dressing area, non gender-specific.

Some beaches in California have the same setup.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

Love that idea. We're members at a new Y and it has a men's changing area, a women's area, and a smaller family area. The family area is similar to what you are describing, but there are only 4 private rooms and there is usually a line to use them. We usually wear our suits to the pool anyway, but I like to change out of my wet suit before driving home.

One night recently, the pool was really busy and there were so many people waiting to use the family rooms that I just went over to the locker area, took our stuff out of the locker, and started pulling my clothes on over my wet bathing suit. The problem with this was that there was a man standing there waiting for his family and he was watching me like I was doing something dirty. It was so uncomfortable. I can't really explain it, just the intensity with which he was staring at me was weird. I mean, I was putting clothes on, not taking them off! But the way the family area is laid out, the locker area is sort of isolated from the changing rooms, down the hall and around the corner, and when this man was staring at me and we were the only adults in that area the isolation of the area suddenly became very apparent to me, I've never really noticed it before because I never had any reason to feel unsafe in the locker area before. I fumbled with the clothes a bit since I was still so wet--pulling jeans up wet legs is hard--but I rushed as much as possible and hurried my kids out of there. I've avoided the common area of the family area every time since then, the incident kind of put me off it. I wish I could just change in the women's room but my son is uncomfortable in the men's area by himself.

I am well endowed in the chest area and over the years I've learned that many men seem to have the attitude that women's bodies are on display just for them, especially when the women have a feature that is pleasing to these men. I shared in another post about an issue I had with a stalker who got physical with me, and I'm sorry to say that is not the first time something like that has happened to me. That's what worries me about unisex bathrooms. Let me be clear though, I have nothing against people using the bathroom that is appropriate for the gender they associate with. Like you said, OP, I prefer to be modest and I never change in the open, I always go into one of the bathrooms or shower stalls when I am in the women's locker room. But, for someone like me with a history of child sexual abuse, or a woman who has been a victim of rape or domestic violence, a situation like that has the potential to get scary quick. If I am in a room alone with more than one man, or just one man who resembles my abuser, I become a shaking, cringing, petrified mess. 20-some years after my abuse ended and I still feel like a victim. And having a man staring at me like that, in a place where I felt vulnerable because I was alone with 2 kids, was a horrible experience, but it makes me wonder if stuff like that would happen more often if unisex bathrooms became the norm.

 

[ronandannette]

Love that idea. We're members at a new Y and it has a men's changing area, a women's area, and a smaller family area. The family area is similar to what you are describing, but there are only 4 private rooms and there is usually a line to use them. We usually wear our suits to the pool anyway, but I like to change out of my wet suit before driving home.

One night recently, the pool was really busy and there were so many people waiting to use the family rooms that I just went over to the locker area, took our stuff out of the locker, and started pulling my clothes on over my wet bathing suit. The problem with this was that there was a man standing there waiting for his family and he was watching me like I was doing something dirty. It was so uncomfortable. I can't really explain it, just the intensity with which he was staring at me was weird. I mean, I was putting clothes on, not taking them off! But the way the family area is laid out, the locker area is sort of isolated from the changing rooms, down the hall and around the corner, and when this man was staring at me and we were the only adults in that area the isolation of the area suddenly became very apparent to me, I've never really noticed it before because I never had any reason to feel unsafe in the locker area before. I fumbled with the clothes a bit since I was still so wet--pulling jeans up wet legs is hard--but I rushed as much as possible and hurried my kids out of there. I've avoided the common area of the family area every time since then, the incident kind of put me off it. I wish I could just change in the women's room but my son is uncomfortable in the men's area by himself.

I am well endowed in the chest area and over the years I've learned that many men seem to have the attitude that women's bodies are on display just for them, especially when the women have a feature that is pleasing to these men. I shared in another post about an issue I had with a stalker who got physical with me, and I'm sorry to say that is not the first time something like that has happened to me. That's what worries me about unisex bathrooms. Let me be clear though, I have nothing against people using the bathroom that is appropriate for the gender they associate with. Like you said, OP, I prefer to be modest and I never change in the open, I always go into one of the bathrooms or shower stalls when I am in the women's locker room. But, for someone like me with a history of child sexual abuse, or a woman who has been a victim of rape or domestic violence, a situation like that has the potential to get scary quick. If I am in a room alone with more than one man, or just one man who resembles my abuser, I become a shaking, cringing, petrified mess. 20-some years after my abuse ended and I still feel like a victim. And having a man staring at me like that, in a place where I felt vulnerable because I was alone with 2 kids, was a horrible experience, but it makes me wonder if stuff like that would happen more often if unisex bathrooms became the norm.

Not sure if I'm understanding your post correctly. Do you like the idea of a single, large Universal Locker Room or do you dislike it? Based on everything you shared it seems like it wouldn't be comfortable for you as everyone, man, woman and child, will be in there together.

 

[King Schultz]

This sort of thing is why I just stay home and drink beer in the AC most of the time.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Hmmm...interesting. With all the privacy I can't see it being that big of a deal, but we are members of the Y and all 3 in our city have:
Men, Women, Girls, Boys & Family locker rooms. Each one has it's own private stalls and changing areas, so nothing really communal except for the locker area.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

Not sure if I'm understanding your post correctly. Do you like the idea of a single, large Universal Locker Room or do you dislike it? Based on everything you shared it seems like it wouldn't be comfortable for you as everyone, man, woman and child, will be in there together.

Well, as you described it, it sounds great. It sounds like it's one big open area, whereas the family area in our Y is kind of small and the locker area is secluded from the changing rooms--which led to my uncomfortable moment. And then there's trigger issues with it. So I guess I'm confused as well? I mean, I like the idea in theory, it's the reality of it that I'm unsure about.

Lol, I just reread my post and it is a bit rambling : ) I was tired, waiting for my son to get home so I could go to bed.

 

[pocomom]

I love the idea.
My son isn't the most coordinated kid and it takes him forever to change after swim. I hate him being in the men's changing room alone. At one of our Y's boys 6 and over have to use the men's and it is up a stairwell and down a hall with the men's door at the bottom of the stairs so I can't go up there with him. Luckily we are only there once a week.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I love the idea.
My son isn't the most coordinated kid and it takes him forever to change after swim. I hate him being in the men's changing room alone. At one of our Y's boys 6 and over have to use the men's and it is up a stairwell and down a hall with the men's door at the bottom of the stairs so I can't go up there with him. Luckily we are only there once a week.

WOW! That is so young!!! Ours is 10-17 use the boys room, 18+ mens and under 10 use the family.

 

[dotfurio]

If I change at the gym it's in one of the private changing rooms so I'd probably prefer their set up. A set up like that makes it easier with kids, especially if DH has the girls.

At my gym I don't care if others want to run around naked in the locker room. However, one factor that grosses me out is when they sit on the seats naked. Ewww. I used to sit there to change my shoes til I saw that.

 

[kirstenb1]

I don't care for it. Our Y has separate mens and womens locker rooms. It's a small Y, so there are 2 curtained off changing areas, then an open locker area. I'm very impatient, so won't wait for a changing area. I always change out in the open, and when the kids were younger, and needed help, I'd change them out there too. I think my attitude stems from playing team sports, where everyone got dressed in a big open locker area. And the unwritten code is "stare at the lockers like they are the most interesting things ever" No one looks at anyone else, and it's all good.

 

[RedAngie]

I don't even remember posting in this thread so long ago.

 

[Kitty 34]

I about had a heart attack when I saw King Shultz answering what I thought was a thread started today. ( )

Yes, RonandAnnette....you are officially a Zombie thread owner.



.......of course in January I'm always looking for ANY thing to party about!!