Unisex changing rooms

This is why I buy online, try on at home & return if neccessary. I do not like communal changing rooms as I have scars from hip replacements & did not like a child staring so gave them up a long time ago.

We should be able to securely lock a door when in a changing room/public toilet and it is the duty of an establishment to have the kind of lock, as I have used and maybe these are still used in some areas, that from the outside of the lock shows ENGAGED.

This is going to be even more important if people are going to "self-define" their gender.

changing rooms are in the news today because of Primark introducing some for transgender people.I wouldn't be happy using unisex ones,what a horrible experience Littleannie.I prefer to take things home ,they can be returned if not suitable.We've had ladies changing rooms for years,don't see the need for unisex ones.

Thank you all for your replies.
Maxdecatt - your comment was not helpful. The door was definitely locked, he deliberately fiddled with it.
I have seen the manager today. While he was most pleasant and sympathetic, I don't think there is a lot he can do to catch this particular person. He says all cubicle doors, unisex or not, can be opened from outside, usually with pliers. This is a safety feature in case somebody has a heart attack. There is no CCTV camera in the changing rooms for obvious reasons, so there is no footage of a man fiddling with the door. He did offer to go through the footage taken at the front door to see if I can spot him, but quite honestly I now wouldn't recognise him if he passed me in the street. I just wanted to make them aware of it, in case it happened to a young girl. I wasn't looking for compensation or anything.

Lucky you had the presence of mind to shove him out. Some may have frozen with shock or been severely traumatised.

Reminded me of something that happened to me years ago. I went to a Christmas party at a large hotel. Got there early to use the spa and pool. Went back to my room, showered and was standing in the bathroom doing my makeup. I had only put my dress on moments before when a man walked into my room. It was a room with a key card. Seeing how horrified he was I jokingly said 'I didn't order you on room service'. He apologised profusely and said they had told him that room and given him the key card. Once I was ready I went to reception to complain and he was there going beserk. He said it was lucky I was so understanding as if I had shouted rape he could've been in a lot of trouble until the misunderstanding was cleared up. Thank goodness I wasn't naked. I would not have found it so funny if he'd come into the room 10 minutes before.

A horrible experience breeze, and one which shouldn't have happened.
I should have mentioned in my post above, that he told me ALL cubicle locks can be opened from outside. Not just at Asda, but all public buildings.
Also, I don't do Facebook.

I don't like the sound of this at all. I didn't know there were unisex changing rooms. I stopped using changing rooms years ago as it's all too much bother. Many years ago a lady asked me to help her out of a dress as it was too small and she couldn't get it off. I couldn't get it off either.

This sounds scary. I would report it to ASDA. I tried on some trousers in a shop the other day. Nowhere to put my bags, and my own clothes except the floor. I'd rather try on at home.

At our local ASDA there are just curtains to pull across and you can see feet underneath them, no need for anyone to barge in.

maybe you should have locked the door first.

I can't believe your comment moggie57. Didn't you read my post? I DID lock the door.

At the risk of being shot down - unisex, transgender, men presenting as women etc. I'm not intolerant but I think that often minorities call the tune. I would not want to use unisex changing rooms, I'm self-conscious enough in front of other women, let alone men.

surely the changing rooms have CCTV in the common areas to prevent shop lifting. Report it!

I found myself in Asda in just my knickers too. It was years ago and I was trying on a swimsuit.
We were in Glasgow but we lived in the highlands so i wanted to check the suit fitted as it would be about a 100 mile round trip to change it. The changing cubicles were in the center the clothing section of store in a sort of wheel, the doors s all on the outside.
For some reason each wedge shaped cubicle had two doors that met in the middle and locked with a small blot in the middle.
I was trying on a swimsuit when a young child just barged the doors in and I was, well “TA DA!”
You can’t “lock” a pair of double doors if both are free to move, you just can’t! One must be bolted down or you need a bar acros the back the width of both doors.
I did go and complain. I was offered a tea (declined) and my name taken. I heard nothing and I’ve waited years.
The thing is I reported it and it was something that would just keep happening. Every time someone wanted the door open they just had to push.
They just didn’t care.

Very unpleasant experience. I tend to buy an item and then try it at home unless single sex changing rooms or sales assistant manned. Shops will just lose out to internet shopping even more unless they address this issue.

I've never had anyone barge in when changing but I remember feeling very uncomfortable trying on clothes in the sort of communal changing rooms they had in 'young fashion' shops in the 70's. I'm not keen on cubicles with curtains either because they rarely close properly and it is easy to make a mistake and walk in on someone. As someone else said though, anyone walking in on me wouldn't want to hang around. Some things can't be unseen!

You poor thing. Well done for having the presence of mind to give him a hefty shove. Understand that doors may need to be opened from the outside in an emergency, but it should be made a good deal more difficult, clearly. That would have shaken me up littleannie