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Today I was at a sports centre I regularly attend. It's pretty male-dominated (about 75% male) and the culture is pretty macho too. However, more women/girls seem to be attending and getting good, including myself! I have made leaps and bounds and really grown in confidence over the past few months. I have also made a female friend there and hope to make more. This centre is the nearest to me and the only one I would be able to attend regularly.
I noticed that while a few of the men on the front desk are quite pleasant, most are somewhat offhand with the female customers. Today, I had just finished showering and getting dressed and was standing in the changing room charging my phone, when one of the more rude male staff members strolled right in without knocking. I was alone. He began to swap over posters on the notice board without saying anything or making eye contact.
I felt so shocked that I just stood there staring at him, while he fiddled with the posters and didn't acknowledge me, and finally then left. I could have been in my underwear.
I spoke to my friend who was also there and she said something similar happened to her last week, but the door swung open and she just made out it was a man before he then closed the door.
Considering he was on the front desk, I didn't feel comfortable making a complaint directly to him after the incident. I searched online for contact details for a head office but everything returns you to the centre itself, which means he would likely see my email complaint and know it was me. I'm just so nervous that the centre is going to tell me not to worry about it and it's all within their policy, and I will lose out on something that is so important for my mental health.
Seriously, WTF?
Edit: I've managed to find the CEO of the centre on LinkedIn. Gonna send him a message there and hopefully he will let his employees know how to act...
Once, I can see just happening. However, the idea of a staff member coming into a bathroom to adjust posters seems like a failed attempt at covering up his intent in being there.
The fact that he did this to another woman using the changing room is kinda pointing to a trend. You two may not be the only ones.
Wow! That’s so unprofessional! Thankfully nothing bad happened and you were dressed be this man waltzed in like that. There’s ways around this too. At my gym they usually have men and women on shift. But there’s been exactly twice in the year I’ve been going where I’ve been in the change room and a man has to come in a clean the change room. He doesn’t just waltz in like that. He calls into the room to make it known a man will be entering and he will ASK if this is ok with the women in there. And then they put a sign up saying there’s a male staff member in there so there’s no real surprises. This is how you do it.
Im glad you’re making a complaint.
You're right to bring this to the attention of the gym owner. A male member of staff sauntering into the women's changing rooms is totally unacceptable. What worries me is what would have happened if there was only one woman on her own in there when he walked in.
UPDATE:
I emailed the CEO last night with a full description of what happened and what my friend had said as well, and wrote my expectations of what the policy should be. He replied first thing this morning, fully agreeing with what I had said and told me he had asked the centre manager to investigate.
I have received an extremely apologetic email this afternoon saying they totally understand my concerns. They identified the male (I never mentioned/described who it was, but I did give the time of the incident), and he has been specifically reprimanded, which I am very pleased about. They also sent word out to all staff members about how to conduct themselves around the changing rooms.
I'm really glad that they took this seriously and that I don't have to worry about something like this happening again to me or any other woman/child at the centre.
If you feel comfortable, scream bloody murder, so loudly, that the whole gym hears you, and everyone’s attention will be on the fact that this weirdo is being a pervert.
My gym has a Womens only section and if any maintenance is needed or a man needs to enter, they put a big sign up informing all women that there will be a man in the change room area fixing stuff between certain hours on a certain day. That should be protocol every where.
Because of the Alphabet mafia mentally ill men are women now. This is why I don't go to a gym or dance class, I rather save for some equipment and do any exercise at home.
Not adding anything new here, but nope, this is definitely not ok. I hope your email is successful. Good luck, and update us if you have time.
Even the lowly security guard in my shitty public high school knew to ask if I was dressed before he entered the girls' locker room to do something he needed to do.
Well done on alerting the CEO.