Since when are the opposite sex allowed in non co-ed fitting rooms?

[FINFAN]

It seems to me that it is a simple issue of privacy. One that is to be respected in fitting rooms. Those are just the "rules". There are some of the general public who have decided to bend the rules to meet their needs at the expense of those who are following the rules. It is rude and selfish. At the very least, shout in and ASK the other fitting room patrons if they mind a male in there...we waited at some of the stores for the man to leave while his date tried on 19 Prom dresses...yes, she also broke the "garment limit of 3" rule...so when we finally DID get in there, and then to come out and find another guy in there..man...chapped my hide! I told him to leave but he ignored me. Told the attendant, she said something but he left and just kept inching his way back in , till he was sitting right back on the floor again.
Listen folks, for those of you who feel it is no problem to break the rules in the fitting room, at least have the decency to wait for it to be empty and not subject others to your choice, when they are the ones following the rules!
Or TELL a store clerk that you would like to take your BF,spouse, etc. into the fitting room...any decent clerk will tell you it is not allowed. How lazy are people anyway ( and if there is a mediacl issue, I am NOT including that) that they cannot just walk outside the fitting room area and show thier outfit to whomever? Take your purse/packages with you. All I know is that it simply crosses the line of privacy.

 

[KAMLEM]

I do wonder if those with 'issues' around this ever go to the beach or go swimming?

Oh give me a break, so now those who want some privacy "have issues"? It's called modesty. My 11 and 14 year old DD's don't want me in the dressing room with them so I wait for them to come out and show me what they have tried on. They are never going to come out if there is a strange man there. Sorry, but I don't think this means that they have issues.

 

[Carly_Roach]

My husband would have to be dragged to the woman's clothing store kicking, screaming, complaining and threatening to down a hemlock cocktail. He doesn't do shopping. And forget about him being in the changing room! It's difficult to imagine this poor, red-faced, slightly overweight and balding, dear sweet man perched on the chair at the end of the stalls, intently staring at the floor or turned to the wall, with both hands sheilding his eyes and telling me to hurry up already.

I think if the other women found him in the changing room, they'd pity him. And if one came out wearing nothing but underwear, he'd be out of there in a flash and I'd have an uncomfortably silent ride home with him (probably to be followed by a week of apologies and special dinners).

Needless to say, I do most of my clothes shopping alone.

On the occasion that I've seen a man in the women's changing room, I think of my husband (or brother) and feel sorry for them. They're not there by choice. I just make sure the door or curtain to my stall is firmly closed and go about my business. They're there with a woman - they're not perverts looking for a quick thrill.

 

[sha_lyn]

I believe the big problem is that many have ignorred the fact that you are speaking about a women's dressing room. They ara asumming you are just complaining because you wanted to boot some guy out of a co-ed fitting

 

[wishspirit]

Are you married?

Seriously, my wife is my best friend, and I hers. Anything you (assuming that you're female) perhaps do with a girl-friend/anything you perhaps are for a girl-friend, I do with/are for my wife. Many people are not so bent-around-a-nail about stringent gender-driven affinities.

I do agree that he should hang out by the entry, not walk around inside the dressing rooms, just like the mother of a 9 year old boy should.

Im not married, but its the same with my DBF.

He has really good taste, and i want him to help me make decisions, however that does not stop me going out to show him rather than the other way round!

To be honest if i can get a zipper done, i ask the attendant or go out to my boyfriend to finish the last bit, as it usually isnt much.

The only thing i won't go out to show is lingere!!

 

[GJM]

My DH also NEVER goes shopping with me. We have been married for 13 years and I can count on my one hand how many times he has gone with me! He just doesn't go shopping, he hates the stores & the mall. I could honestly care less.

I like going by myself, I take my time try stuff on. If I like it I buy it, if he didn't like I could care less I am the one wearing it.

I was just in a co-ed dressing room today - I don't see what the big deal is, the door is all the way to the floor, nobody could see in.

 

[Piecey]

It doesn't bother me a bit. DH has always requested I go in with him because he 's not very... fashionable?.. haha. I always sit in the chair right inside the door of the fitting area.

Maybe we're just weird, but it doesn't bother us.

 

[HoneyBee06]

I agree- I can't stand it when the men are standing right in the doorway to the womens dressing room, it always feels like they are some peeping pervert.
I can't imagine any normal husband going clothes shopping with his wife/girlfriend and wanting to go hang out in the fitting room with her!!!

I think that's a bit sad, that you cannot imagine a husband and wife being supportive of each other's efforts like that. However, being supportive is "normal".

And you're not "abnormal".

I think it's peculiar to consider clothes shopping an "effort" that requires spousal "support."

I don't need spousal "support"...I just happen to enjoy the company of my husband. Whether it's out at dinner or clothes shopping....he's good company. We enjoy spending time together. I had no clue that was considered abnormal by some. Makes me feel a little sad for the people in marriages that consider that abnormal. But at the same time it makes me appreciate my marriage even more...haha.

 

[FINFAN]

GJM....I am not posting about the designated C0-ED fitting rooms such as Target ( matter of fact, they have the nicest fitting rooms around here) but the fitting rooms that are say, in the Juniors department or ladies departments of Department stores,THOSE fitting rooms are designated for females. I totally expect to be in a unisex situation in fitting rooms that are stated as such. Just like there are 'family" restrooms. However, I do not expect unisex in a gender specific fitting room, nor did my DD like exiting a stall to use the 3-way mirror( in such fitting room)to find a male sitting on the floor near the room she was using. He can wait outside the fitting room entrance. For those who want to bring their male/female shoppers into a fitting room with them, shop specifically at a store that allows it. And as far as buying /returning, we were shopping for a 'special occasion" dress and all but 3 stores do not allow returns on those items, so they have to be tried on at the store. And at the cost of gas, I prefer to not make an unecessary trip back to return something simply because the fitting room was occupied by someone who is not allowed in there.

 

[bicker]

He has really good taste, and i want him to help me make decisions, however that does not stop me going out to show him rather than the other way round!

There are a lot of different scenarios being discussed in this thread: co-ed dressing rooms and non-co-ed dressing rooms; folks going into the "wrong gender" dressing rooms and folks waiting outside, but right by the entry of the "wrong gender" dressing rooms; etc. So I can understand why folks might get their signals crossed.

I was talking about people standing by the entry to the dressing rooms, not about people going into the dressing rooms.

To be honest if i can get a zipper done, i ask the attendant or go out to my boyfriend to finish the last bit, as it usually isnt much.

The places we shop there is no attendant; I think you only have attendants in the finer stores.

If my wife can't get the zipper done herself, that's generally more than enough cause for her to reject the garment altogether.

 

[bicker]

Makes me feel a little sad for the people in marriages that consider that abnormal. But at the same time it makes me appreciate my marriage even more...

I know what you mean.

There are so many aspects of our marriage that seem, on first glance, so much better than the norm, and that's especially gratifying since, in chatting with friends, it seems to me that people tend to view aspects of their marriage, on first glance, as being so much worse than the norm, when in reality they're pretty close to the norm. So if the general tendency is to consider one's self less lucky than you really are, I'm truly blessed.

Pardon me; I need to go over and kiss my wife.

 

[Disney Doll]

So, I have twin 7 year old daughters. I have - infrequently - taken them out for clothes. What should "I" be doing with them?

I have no idea. Don't take them clothes shopping, I guess.

Frankly, what would probably happen is you would be with them in the ladies fitting room & if I was in there, I'd leave and shop elsewhere.

The store is getting your business. I guess they don't need mine.

 

[bicker]

So, I have twin 7 year old daughters. I have - infrequently - taken them out for clothes. What should "I" be doing with them?

I think I mentioned earlier; either every "wrong gender" person is allowed in, or none. I suppose it depends on the store; check the posted signs.

 

[ilisao]

I have no idea. Don't take them clothes shopping, I guess.

Frankly, what would probably happen is you would be with them in the ladies fitting room & if I was in there, I'd leave and shop elsewhere.

The store is getting your business. I guess they don't need mine.

Wow. I hope your suggestion not to take them shopping was in jest. You couldn't even try on clothes in the privacy of a stall because a man is helping his daughters?

 

[KAMLEM]

On the occasion that I've seen a man in the women's changing room, I think of my husband (or brother) and feel sorry for them. They're not there by choice. I just make sure the door or curtain to my stall is firmly closed and go about my business. They're there with a woman - they're not perverts looking for a quick thrill.

And again that's not the point. The point is that some women, or young girls, just don't feel comfortable with a man in there, regardless of whether they are an overweight, bald man (as YOU referenced) or a tall, dark and handsome man. It's as simple as that. They should NOT be in there.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Wow. I hope your suggestion not to take them shopping was in jest. You couldn't even try on clothes in the privacy of a stall because a man is helping his daughters?

What I have actually done is taken them into the men's changing rooms... I don't think any wierd guy would do anything with me there, and I wouldn't let my kids go wandering in the area.

 

[ilisao]

What I have actually done is taken them into the men's changing rooms... I don't think any wierd guy would do anything with me there, and I wouldn't let my kids go wandering in the area.

So you have to pick out your girls clothes, and then drag them to another department to try them on. It's too bad you have to do that.

 

[davidsprincess]

If I saw a dad taking his girls clothes shopping I would think "what a great dad!" It would not matter to me if he was in the woman's change room to help them out. Maybe the guy's change room was too full. Who cares as to why he is there, he is being a good dad. Kudos to all of you dads out there that want to make sure your girls have clothes to wear and are not wondering around naked!

If a person is too shy to "come out" of the change room to show their outfit because of a male being in the change area, then have the same sex friend/parent come to the door of the change room and open it enough for them to take a look at you in the outfit.

 

[JodyLynC]

Regardless of how comfortable or uncomfortable one feels, Ladies dressing rooms are for Ladies. Mens dressing rooms are for Men. End of story. The stores attendents should see to that. If they do not, speak with a manager.

 

[janey99]

When I was in the hospital after I had my daughter they had no showers in the rooms, they sort of like gym type showers, 4 stalls lined up that you go and shower in, well I walked in to take a shower and behind me a woman walks in with her husband , there was NO way I was gong to shower with some strange male right there, only a tiny curtain that doesn't really even cover the doorway to the stall. I had to go out and tell the nurses, they came in and told him that it was a womens shower and he would have to leave, the woman was complaining that she just had a baby (as did we all!) and needed help (????) well they told her she had to get a female friend to help her or the nurse would if she wanted. I was dumbfounded that anyone would even think to bring their husbands into a womens shower room!! It was on par with my room mate in the hospital wanting her husband to stay overnight in the hospital with her- give me a break, the rooms are small enough with 2 people in them, no way was I going to stand for having a strange male in the room while I was sleeping...please, I think you can go form 9pm to 9am without seeing your husband!

Wow - this is a fascinating perspective!

Why would you think that your desire to be comfortable after the birth of YOUR child should trump the rights of either of those two women to be comfortable after the birth of THEIR children?!

Re the lady who wanted her DH in the shower area - although I managed to pull off my shower by myself after DS1, I know I felt lightheaded, dizzy and nauseated after giving birth and being forced to get out of the bed too quickly to make room for the next woman who needed it (gotta love those small, banana republic hospitals!). In retrospect, it might have been nice to have DH outside the stall just to be on hand in case I passed out and split my skull on the tile. I'm pretty sure the first thing on that guy's mind was his own immediately post-partum wife, not some strange woman in the other stall!

Re the lady who wanted her husband to room in - even the aforementioned banana republic hospital had sleeper chairs for DH's, as does the hospital where I am about to deliver DS2 - this is true in single and double occupancy rooms. I can't imagine your request to throw the other woman's DH out of the room in either place would have been honored.

Did you deliver a really long time ago?

Jane