Gym locker rooms

[ImagineKate]

One of the facilities we have at work is a gym. I use it a lot.

Transitioning is going to make it awkward to use. Which is worse - the "guy" in the female locker room, or the "guy" with obvious breasts and female development in the men's?

This will be after I transition at work, so I will be listed as a female employee.

So how do you girls manage such a transition, either at an on premises health club or a standalone one? Do you use alternate changing facilities such as restrooms while transitioning, or do you just "go brave" and let them sort it out?

[Ms Grace]

I don't have the luxury of a gym at work. I'd suggest that once you are presenting full time as female you use the women but avoid areas where they might be getting naked (to avoid accusations of 'perving') and certainly refrain from undressing below the waist in front of other women. The one thing that is going to get you kicked out quicker than anything is the display (barest glimpse or not) of penis. As women in those situations we are still generally deemed 'male' because of our birth defect.

[Jill F]

I have to say that I have avoided locker rooms like the plague ever since junior high school.  I just don't like being naked in front of people, especially now, in my "work in progress" stage. 

What I never understood is the locker room layout where everyone can see everyone else.  It's kinda creepy, and it makes me think of prison.

At any rate, if I were to join a women's gym, I would not use the locker room and shower when I got home.   I'm not sure I'd even use the locker room post-op.  I think a lot of cis women would be in the same boat, as many of them have body issues as well.

[Sammy]

I just exercise on my own - it solves "the locker room issue", plus i can do what I want, where I want and how I want. And it's free.

[Alexis2107]

Be nice for unisex or private locker rooms..... maybe one day

[Jill F]

Be nice for unisex or private locker rooms..... maybe one day

How about private unisex stalls with a lock on the door.  Wow, that would be civilized.  I always wondered why this isn't generally done.

[Alexis2107]

How about private unisex stalls with a lock on the door.  Wow, that would be civilized.  I always wondered why this isn't generally done.

Yes... I think it is more appropriate, especially this day and age. 

[Jill F]

Yes... I think it is more appropriate, especially this day and age.

I can just picture the haters' reactions when this becomes the norm...

"Why do we have to cater to the transgender lifestyle now?  I miss the good old days where we could check each other out naked and not get suspected of being gay."

[ImagineKate]

I'm not even sure of the layout of the women's locker room... I am thinking I should ask one of my cis coworkers who I trust. If they have private stalls, great. If it's an open space, it's a no-go and I'll just change in the loo or something.

Exercise at home, not happening. When I get home, 3 kids is a full time second job. I will never get a proper workout at home...

[Spicy]

Yeah I'm uncomfortable in the men's room, but I don't want to be in the women's room either. What I'd give for neutral rooms!

[Rachel]

I joined a LGBT gym recently (7 weeks ago). It is the 12th street gym in Philadelphia. I explained to the owner I am MTF but look male. Frank Bauer escorted through the gym, which is amazing.  He showed me the men's locker room (yikes), then the employee male locker room, no way. Then the unisex locker room which is very nice. It cost extra but there are some great amenities. I feel very welcomed there. The only issue is putting on a sports bra if there is another person in the locker room. There is a private bathroom but I feel odd hiding a bra to change in the bathroom. If I do not wear a bra them I have a lot of movement and my shirt shows my boobs. Fortunately, the locker room is seldom used and has key entry. I need to work up the guts to put it on with another person in the room.

I train with a trainer because 1) I do not correctly know how to exercise but I am learning, 2) My trainer is also educating me on nutrition and 3) I am very shy and would never explore the gym and get the use of the gym by myself. There are 38 trainers at the gym and Frank recommended my trainer. The trainer is variant and is a fantastic person. What more can you ask for? She had me in the main general lifting room last week doing functional exercises. 

[Brenda E]

I avoid gyms like the plague.  Too much testosterone, too many mirrors, rather expensive etc.  A pair of running shoes and a road/park is all I use these days, and I never have to get changed in front of anyone.  Sit ups once in a while for abs, push ups for arms when the mood strikes.  Fresh air...

[Ms Grace]

I feel I'd be comfortable in a women's change room, once I get the op that is. We have Fernwood's in Australia which is a women's only gym, I'm not a gym person because of testosterone too but I'd be willing to try that place out.

[Jenna Marie]

If you're listed as female, the obvious solution would be to use the women's room. One thing I've discovered is that most women's locker rooms do also have a "bathroom" area (stalls, with doors) as well as showers with curtains or doors, and there's often a very shy woman or two who uses one of those to change. So having your coworker check it out is wise, but bear in mind that it's not considered odd to not want to be naked in front of other women, so the worst that will happen then is you'll have someone complaining that they need to pee/shower while you're changing in there.

Personally, I used the women's locker room but changed in the toilet stall both pre- and post-op. I was a heck of a lot more paranoid before, but I realized I'm not comfortable being starkers in front of anyone even now that the bottom matches the top. Never got a single funny look over it.

[BreezyB]

We're quite fortunate, we have unisex showers in the gym, however male and female locker rooms. Im just in the process of transitioning at work, and I have agreed with HR that whilst my legal gender still says M, then I will simply use the disabled bathrooms. After GRS and my legal gender say F, then this no longer is a problem. The gym showers should be fine, I just won't use a locker and can get changed in the shower cubicle.

At a public gym, umm, I suppose if you 100% pass then I would use the female change room.

[Bombadil]

I've spent a lot of time, over the years, in women's locker rooms and I was going to say what Jenna Marie said. There is pretty much always the shy woman or two who changes in a stall. There usually is a bathroom stall and the only time I've ever known changing in there to be an issue is when there was one bathroom stall and the person took forever. Often there will be a sign that says the bathroom is not for changing clothes but women do it anyway. As I said, it was just that one time when this particular person took a loooooong time to change, repeatedly, in that one stall.

The other thing you may want to learn is the fine art of changing without revealing anything. I'm really not kidding. Most (maybe all?) my women friends can do this. You learn to change in the car or at the beach and use towels or blankets to shield yourself. And there are usually some women doing this in the locker room. You generally aren't supposed to be gawking when your in there, so if you are doing the shield as you change approach you are probably not going to be seen by other women. It's much easier to shield the lower half while change and that's where women are especially not trying to stare and that's where your biggest umm... problem area would be.

[Kova V]

Could you change clothes off-site, go work out, then go home and shower? Not sure how short the drive would be but it would make things less awkward during the middle of your transition. If I was in your place I'd probably stop going to the gym, but that's because I'm a fraidycat when it comes to potentially awkward situations.

[ImagineKate]

Could you change clothes off-site, go work out, then go home and shower? Not sure how short the drive would be but it would make things less awkward during the middle of your transition. If I was in your place I'd probably stop going to the gym, but that's because I'm a fraidycat when it comes to potentially awkward situations.

Nope. I live far from work.

If the locker rooms don't work out I might just end up joining a health club close to home.