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I’ve not yet used a changing room in a clothing shop since I transitioned, and I hadn’t even thought about it until I read this story in my local newspaper:
Primark has announced a major change to its stores which has seen some backlash on Twitter. The high street store has said it will be ensuring that it allows a safe space for women by creating a “dedicated fitting room area for women, as well as continuing to offer a combined fitting room area which everyone can use”. The retailer has also confirmed it will be making cubicles more secure by increasing the length of curtains and adding new mechanisms to hold the curtains firmly in place.
The statement confirms that the combined fitting area will be for everyone, and the women-only fitting area is for “all women” and will not require identification for entry.
However, the move has seen some negative reaction online, with customers using the hashtag “boycott Primark” on Twitter. They wrote: “No you haven’t. If anyone can “identify as a woman” and get access to areas where women and vulnerable in a state of undress, you’re still not listening, and you are enabling predators. We see you. We won’t shop with you.”
Primark change to fitting rooms sees customers threaten boycott | The Northern Echo
It’s clear that anti-trans activists (who seem also present on this site) want transwomen to be publicly humiliated by being told by shopworkers to use male changing rooms. We need to ensure this does not happen. What is the experience of other trans women here?
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O Canada,
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command!I was just at a meeting this evening with my LGBTQA+ group here in Orillia, Ontario. I met many trans women and trans men who are political heavy hitters. They ensure that our community gets well represented with our politicians, so segregation policies like these never surface. However, we have to push all the time to make sure anti-trans bigots don’t make any headway.
:Barb
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Like some of the other ladies in this thread, I live 24/7 en femme, and so I also shop that way. No changing room issues to-date. And no, I don’t think that’s always because I “pass” 100% with any store attendant present. Rather, here in So. Cal., it’s just not an issue for the store(s) – because legally it can’t be an issue, thanks to Calif. Civil Code section 51(b). A store, gym or any other facility serving the public can’t prohibit a patron from using a sex-segregated area (changing room, restroom) that aligns with their gender identity. They’re not supposed to ask for ID, either. So yeah, the exact opposite situation of what goes on in a few other states (not to be mentioned).
Of course, the law notwithstanding, it would be, ummmm, “interesting” to see how a store would react if some anti-trans female customer “read” me and started raising an unholy stink (hey, it’s a fairly “liberal” region, but we do have our share of bigots scattered around). But I’ve thus far rubbed shoulders with a number of other women going into and out of changing rooms and . . . nothing. Zip. Total non-event. And may I add I have thus far (knock on wood) had the same experience in public restrooms.
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Oh, why am I not allowed to be a pretty woman?
Roxanne Lanyon
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The thing that I always find interesting in these situations is what were the nay-sayers doing BEFORE this policy was announced? What were their concerns then? If they were truly concerned, why haven’t they voiced an opinion before now?
Simply BS…
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I must be very lucky. The places I shop (en Femme) have never refused me using the changing room. If I shopped as a male for female clothes I would probably not be allowed to try those items on. I sympathize with your plight and hope you find stores, such as, Lane Bryant where shopping and trying on is not a problem. I have shopped at Wal Mart with no problem either way. Good Luck.
Janus
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Airlane, I live in a rural area of Virginia and I can’t say I have ever had an issue. Granted, most of the places here have doors on the changing rooms and they are setup to be ‘generic’, no one has ever called me out. I will also say that sometimes, part of the transgender/crossdresser community can be our own worst enemy, and that helps add fuel to the anti-trans fire. That said, our presentation as just normal people wanting to live normal lives will always be the positive action against that sort of thing.
And us being able to identify and list transgender supportive & friendly businesses here helps our members support those places. Support helps show that we are just normal people living normal lives. And that positive display will slowly break down the anti-trans side of the equation. Michelle
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I have not yet used a generic changing room yet, but I surely want to try! It would be ever so sweet!
I am so sory that these hectic days find so many people going against the LGBT considerations I was hoping this world was changing positively to. This trannie is slowly becoming disappointed!
Miss Roxanne Lanyon
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