Changing rooms

A while back, I mused over the changing room situation at the gym, pondering the systematic separation of the sexes. I continue to wonder what that separation has to do with the heterosexual imperative, and this was brought home very strongly to me last night.

I went to the gym late - usually I go in the mornings. I finished up and went to the changing rooms. I walked in and found the room empty apart from two members of staff, one of whom was doing a regular maintenance check. And who happened to be male. And (I strongly suspect by his general manner) almost certainly straight. The female staff member assured me, "He'll be done in a minute." In fact, it genuinely hadn't occurred to me that there was anything strange about finding him there. Maybe I would have found it odd when I started undressing for the shower, but until she said anything I honestly hadn't noticed.

So, sure enough, they finished up and went on their way, leaving me alone in the changing rooms. About 10 minutes later, I'd finished in the shower and was pulling on my boxers (a particular source of concern for me every time I go to the gym). My back was turned to the door, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man walk in, having clearly just arrived in the building, and carrying a large rucksack. In a split second, I realised it was not a man, but quite clearly another lesbian (well, unless my gaydar's up the spout!), one with that tall, straight-up-and-down build.

And it just seemed very odd that in the space of 10 minutes I'd shared that changing room - supposedly such a place of vulnerability - with two very different people whose sexual desire is almost certainly directed towards women. Now, I don't imagine either of them consciously thought of it in these terms, but I felt totally non-plussed by the whole thing (except for noticing how funny it was). Because previously, I felt guilty, like I might be rumbled or ousted or something. The girls at school, when I was about 8 years old, used to make me go out of the girls' loos because they thought I was a boy... I guess part of me keeps expecting something similar to happen. But sharing that space with those two last night, I felt exonerated somehow. What a relief!

Until, that is, there was a dead fit bird in the changing rooms this morning... I guess there's very little to settle here. So here's my call for unisex changing rooms with blatantly not enough lockers. Can't we just get over it? It's only flesh after all... what does it really mean?