70
My letter to Primark
I posted a few days ago about the unisex changing rooms in Primark, you brilliant women encouraged me to write a complaint - here is what I wrote ...
———————————————-
My mum and I visited one of your stores, we got to the changing rooms and were dismayed to see a big sign saying “these changing rooms are unisex”
We were discussing whether to even go in, we couldn’t see if the cubicles had lockable doors or curtains, the changing room attendant must have overheard, she approached us and assured us there were currently no men in there so we decided to be quick.
It was a very uncomfortable experience, there were only curtains, though honestly, even lockable doors wouldn’t have made much difference, we were both on edge, uncomfortable and rushing.
I’m writing to you to say that unisex changing rooms are a violation of women’s boundaries. Unless you live with your head in the sand you will know that males (irrelevant to what clothes they wear or what they “identify” as) are responsible for 99% of sexual assaults, over 90% of their victims are female.
Males are a risk to females and should not be sharing vulnerable spaces - and yes, when we are in a state of undress behind a flimsy curtain, we are vulnerable.
When looking at sex attacks in changing rooms, data shows that 90% of those attacks happen in unisex spaces - therefore you are placing your female customers (many of them teenage girls) in unnecessary danger.
Women and children should not have to be around men when either party is in a state of undress. Non predatory men have no desire for unisex changing rooms either.
You are alienating your customer base. My mum and I will not be shopping with you again and I thought you may appreciate the feedback. Many women feel the same.
It also awful for tween girls shopping w/ their moms, an age when they still need our help but want more privacy. Old changing rooms had a center place where you could sit and a girl could open her changing door, pop out at the large mirror if she was comfortable, or her mom could look at the clothing from the open door. Swimsuits in unisex areas are a nightmare for tween girls.
Just thinking about this makes me fucking hate the TRAs even more.
Great stuff, thank you! I didn't even know about the 90% taking place in unisex changing rooms, that's handy knowledge to have.
Very well said, good for you!
And thank you for writing, from all of us. Every.Bit.Helps.
Interesting. Here in the states I don’t think I have ever seen sex segregated changing rooms when there are individual rooms. There always is just one with doors or curtains or whatnot.
Huh? Where are you shopping? The only place I have seen unisex change rooms is in very small boutiques, and I've lived in the US my whole life. Obviously stores only for women have only one set of change rooms. Is that what you are talking about? I would assume a lot of those now accommodate men with fetishes, but fortunately this would not be tolerated in my area most likely.
Here in the Netherlands it is very rare too. Almost all changing rooms are unisex. Never had an issue.
I've had a couple of times that men pulled open the curtain in store to look at me or tried to peek through a gap. Unisex changing rooms is a whole level of " fuck no" for me
I’m terrified of public unisex change rooms. The chances of a perv hidden camera being in those must go up 1000% due to ease of access.
Yeah, I think they’re a stupid and dangerous idea. I recently read about men putting cameras in changing rooms and filming unsuspecting women. Very few women want to get undressed around strange men.