Different standards for change rooms at CBS pool has resident upset
Letter to the Editor/March 31, 2023
I have been using the swimming pool in CBS for some time now along with some friends. While in the change room I noticed various males, a lot of younger guys feeling very uncomfortable, to say the least, while they showered.
This got me wondering if women have the same issue in their change rooms and if so, perhaps we could get together and do something to improve the showering experience for both sides. To my astonishment it turns out women do not have this problem at all as they were fortunate to have individual showers and change areas completely private on their side. It turns out the women got the Corvette where the men only got the Chevy Spark.
This is nothing short of a sexist mentality not to mention the stress it is potentially causing members of the trans community who also use this facility. This includes one of my friends.
My first question is why individual showers and change areas were installed on the women’s side, but the men are only provided with a very basic community shower which provides no privacy whatsoever? Is this the policy of the CBS council to treat one sex differently than the other? It would be interesting if this issue were reversed.
My second question is: what steps can be taken to change this blatant and clear discriminatory practice and have the same private stall system that is currently enjoyed by the women, for decades, installed in the men’s showers?
It’s worth pointing out our 5-year-old little girls don’t have to be exposed to this type of activity. Another message was from a trans person who has expressed how uncomfortable they find using the shower, as well as mothers telling us how their sons will not use the male change rooms due to the lack of privacy, so they must use the family room. The list goes on.
The council’s fix for this problem is to install cloth-type curtains in the men’s shower which does not provide a private area to dress or undress. This point is important for various pool users because they currently have to dress and undress in the main change area before they swim and after they finish their swim, thus no privacy.
Since November 2022 we have attempted to contact the council, each one of them individually, however our inquiry has basically fallen on deaf ears. Due to the lack of support from the council we are moving in a direction to ensure trans persons, to name one group, can and will feel comfortable using the change rooms at the pool. Please remember the female side has complete privacy for each user. We are fully committed to ensuring a respectful interaction with all users including females as well our commitment to ensure there will be no uncomfortable meetings. We are moving forward to ensure privacy is allotted to all citizens of CBS including trans persons, persons with disabilities, not to mention the very young. With this in mind it is expected there will be people who will in the near future be visiting and using the pool and expecting to use the change room of their choosing.
We ask citizens of CBS who have experienced their own horror stories in the men’s shower room or simply see the disparity in the two shower rooms to please reach out to the email below so we can get together and get this fixed. If you are interested in the history of our dealing with the council we can provide you with all correspondence council received as well as pictures of both change rooms for your review. Remember the politicians will only do what will get them re-elected.
If you require additional information, please reach out to us at Pike43377@gmail.com.
Sincerely
Edward Pike