Diversity obligations gone mad

[Flick of the Elbow]

My wife returned home from work yesterday completely exasperated by the latest developments in the refurbishment of their shower rooms. Quoting 'diversity obligations', Facilities have announced that there will no longer be separate men's and women's shower cubicles/lockers/drying space. So the women will now have to hang up their shorts/sports bras/etc alongside their male colleagues, the contents of their lockers will be visible to the male colleague using the adjacent locker, and if you simply want to change your trousers/top you will no longer be able to do this at your locker, you will have to take said items into one of the shower cubicles to change, thereby blocking its use for someone wanting to use the shower. The changing facilities are now embedded as part of the shower cubicle, so instead of nipping in and out of the shower thereby vacating it for the next user the shower will now be unavailable to the next user until you've dried and got fully dressed. This is going to massively increase congestion in the shower room as people come into work and is likely to put off many women from cycling in altogether. How is this a good idea ?

 

[Drago]

That's Facilities Administrators for you, quoting rules, obligations and 'risks' to justify their latest bonkers plan.

 

[summerdays]

Maybe they were finding that there were getting queues in one lot of showers and nobody using the others?

We now have mixed loo's, the only problem being there are are 4 in each set (one disable large space one in each), main problem seems to be that you turn up and have to queue or just start wandering over the rest of the building to find a less well used set! (I seem to prefer walking to standing still in a queue).

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Maybe they were finding that there were getting queues in one lot of showers and nobody using the others

No, both sets were well used.

 

[Drago]

Bet some PEON wants the space for a new office.

 

[sheddy]

Easier than providing a 3rd & 4th facility for the man who wants to be a women, and the women who wants to be a man

 

[dfthe1]

Our showers and drying room have always been like this. Never even considered it to be unusual and it's never caused any problems.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Easier than providing a 3rd & 4th facility for the man who wants to be a women, and the women who wants to be a man

So inconveniencing dozens who currently use the showers and very likely putting many women off altogether is a necessary price for the few who might feel uncomfortable with the previous arrangements ? Not in my book.

 

[Katherine]

No shower or changing facilities for staff in our school and I don't know of any school that does have.
Only 2 separate toilets with the handbasin included for 25 members of staff and visitors, so you have to wait for someone to finish washing their hands before the next person goes, interesting when everyone has the same break times.
I'm the only one who ever gets changed at school. I keep a shoe bag of toiletries, wipes etc on the back of the door in the larger toilet cubicle. I am aware that people are waiting sometimes.

 

[Julia9054]

We have one shower at work which was installed by a previous male boss who cycled. It is adjacent to the men's toilets which are on a different floor to the ladies. There is no mirror in it. Due to it's location, no women use it. There used to be quite a nice area closed off from the main staffroom outside the ladies which we used informally as a changing room. School decided that they needed 2/3 of this space to make a new meeting room. People now traipse through the area to get to the new room so female staff now have to change in the toilets and hang our stuff on the hooks in the small area left outside them. Doubt if anyone has even thought about any other diversity issues.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Our showers and drying room have always been like this. Never even considered it to be unusual and it's never caused any problems.

You are forgetting the age old problem; some people don't like change.

I sense anger and resistance.

Bloody diversisists!

 

[Haitch]

I find it incredible that such a change can be made without first asking the people who will be affected. Some people will think it's a bad idea and others a good idea, but before the facilities are changed (or not) their views should be acted on.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I find it incredible that such a change can be made without first asking the people who will be affected. Some people will think it's a bad idea and others a good idea, but before the facilities are changed (or not) their views should be acted on.

Acted on or sought?

 

[Haitch]

Acted on or sought?

Let's push the boat out and say, "Both".

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Let's push the boat out and say, "Both".

And where does the "obligation" element of the change come into it?