A Hero Steps Up

Leisure centres – Putting Women and Girls at Risk: When a hero steps up

WRN is an extraordinary movement driven by extraordinary women, but we know we have the support of many men who stand by our sides with words of encouragement and more than the occasional cup of tea as we labour on plans, research or calls. None of this is taken for granted and thanks is due; however, one man deserves particular recognition for stepping up and speaking out when what he saw made his blood run cold.

Chilling sight

Alan* was working as a lifeguard at Wilmslow leisure centre swimming pool in July of 2024, a venue operated by Everybody Health and Leisure, when he noticed a couple arriving; one went into the male changing room and the other went into the female changing room. When emerging from the changing rooms to enter the swimming pool, Alan noticed that the person coming out the female changing room was wearing a bikini and had long hair,

…but was in fact clearly male.

Like the vast majority of people, Alan was immediately concerned; he knew this was a threat to the privacy and dignity of women and girls, and a huge safeguarding issue. He addressed this with the facility manager as soon as he could, reporting that he had seen a man using the female changing room.

Everybody Health and Leisure runs 17 facilities in partnership with Cheshire East Council.

You know what’s coming right?

The manager replied by saying this is ok and the right thing to do according to a nationwide policy of self-identification (self ID) – if a man says he’s a woman, then he can use female-only facilities.

Furthermore, if women didn’t like the fact that there was a man in their changing room, they could use the accessible (disabled) facility instead!

Safety of women and girls was not a priority

Despite Alan’s warning, no manager challenged the man in a bikini.

It was obvious by this reaction that leisure centre management did not consider it a priority to ensure the privacy, dignity or safety of women and girls in the female changing area. An attitude shared top down by organisations from Sport England, to councils, to architects and to leisure centre operators.

Alan was shocked. He had no idea that the facility was operating on a self-ID basis, there had been no training, no guidance, nothing in black-and-white posted on the staff room wall. None of the other staff knew about this affront to the safety and dignity of women and girls either.

‘Fundamentally wrong’

This situation was completely unacceptable to Alan. He wrote a letter shortly after the incident he witnessed in July of 2024 stating that the policy of allowing males into the female changing room is ‘fundamentally wrong’. The letter was co-signed by 18 other leisure centre staff members, who fully supported Alan and the principle behind the complaint, and it was delivered to the facility manager.

Almost two months later, Alan and a lifeguard colleague were called in to a meeting with various senior managers and given a dressing down. Alan was told that writing a letter of complaint was not the best way to deal with the situation, he was questioned on whether he had actually seen a man emerging from the female changing room, accused of coercing or even forcing people into signing the letter, and of course the word ‘transphobia’ was mentioned.

Quite the reaction.

Unimpeachable policy

At this meeting, it became crystal clear that the industry-standard policy of self ID, a policy that puts women and girls at risk, is not to be queried; it is non-negotiable and Alan is unreasonable, even hateful to suggest so.

A few months later, Alan resigned from his lifeguarding role at the leisure centre. His colleague continued to warn women that men are allowed to use the female changing room, despite being told to stop talking about it and risking disciplinary action.

There is no available policy on the Wilmslow leisure centre website, and a Google search provides no clues as to the policy of the centre operator Everybody Health and Leisure. It seems that this operator was using the industry standard CIMSPA / UKActive Transgender Access Guidance document, which has now been withdrawn following the Supreme Court ruling on the For Women Scotland vs Scottish Ministers case in April 2025.

The industry standard UKActive guidance for the access of males into changing areas where females are undressed and vulnerable. 

None of the frontline staff at Wilmslow leisure centre knew about the confusing, overly-complicated, some might say unlawful, flow diagram in the guidance.

UKActive has issued a statement on the current situation here. They recommend a case-by-case assessment of user access until the EHRC issues new guidance which will inform new guidance from UKActive.

In our opinion, UKActive does not need to wait for any guidance. Equality law is clear – males can be lawfully excluded from female-only spaces, where it is proportionate to a legitimate aim, that being the safety, dignity and privacy of women and girls. 

While UKActive dithers, women and girls using virtually every leisure centre, health club and gym in the UK remain exposed to the potential for a man to be present in their changing rooms.

“…suitable alternative facilities for transgender customers”

Alan recently asked Everybody Health and Leisure whether they were reviewing their self ID policy following the Supreme Court ruling, and the response stated that,

“We will provide suitable alternative facilities for transgender customers”.

Let’s hope this new policy is swiftly communicated to all 17 facilities operated and managed by Everybody Health and Leisure.

Alan is still shocked and disgusted that women and girls are treated so badly by the leisure centre he worked for. He stepped up with decency, moral courage and integrity. The leisure centre managers could learn some lessons from Alan. 

This is not an isolated incident, which is why we are highlighting the dangers of mixed-sex changing rooms and self ID policies in our Red Flag campaign this summer. 

We are calling on sports and leisure providers to make SAFEGUARDING the No.1 priority when building and refurbishing leisure facilities. 

The safest changing room is a single-sex changing room.

Check out our website and find out how you can get involved.

*Alan is Alan’s real name, because Alan has the courage of his convictions and is willing to go on the record with his story. Thank you Alan.