Resort company gets real: Men can't use women's changing rooms

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Claiming protected status under non-discrimination laws, men who "identify" as women have been granted access to women's facilities in some jurisdictions in the the United States.

However, a destination-resort company in the United Kingdom called Center Parcs has declared it will not allow men to use female changing rooms simply because they say they are women.

The issue was raised by a man planning a trip who asked the company if it had any policies relating to transgenderism, according to the U.K.'s Christian Institute.

"He was told that transgender people could use private changing rooms while they are still transitioning," the Christian Institute said.

In an email, the company explained: "Transgender guests are welcome to use the changing rooms that match with their acquired gender if they have gone through the full transition. If they are still in the transition period, we would ask that they use the private changing facilities."

Or a man can use the men's facilities.

Transgender activists charged there is "no justification for a blanket ban on trans people using single-sex facilities."

But Center Parcs explained its policy aligns with Britain's Equality Act and argued the needs of its guests require such an approach.

While the Equality Act says gender change is a "protected characteristic," including for those who are undergoing procedures, it also contains exemptions that allow separate or single-sex toilets or changing rooms.

The complaint was made by Victoria Hodges, a man who identifies as a woman, who told PinkNews he was surprised by the company's response.

"This can’t seriously be their policy towards transgender individuals using their spa and changing facilities," he said. "What the policy does is to segregate transgender individuals into those that have and those that haven't 'gone through the full transition' vs. 'still in the transition period'."

In a statement to Britain's Independent newspaper, the company affirmed its policy.

"We always seek to make Center Parcs as inclusive and accessible as possible for all of our guests, visitors and employees," the company said.

"Within the spa area, we operate single sex, male and female, changing facilities. Having single-sex changing facilities is in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and we ask that guests use the changing facilities appropriate to their legally defined sex. If guests wish to use changing facilities appropriate to their gender, we will always speak to them to see what options are available to them, whilst taking into account and balancing the interests of other guests. We do offer all of our guests the option to use a private changing facility to ensure that all guests and visitors can use the spa."

The LGBT activist group Stonewall accused the company of discrimination.

"The law states that trans people accessing single-sex spaces which match their gender should not be discriminated against," the group stated.

The group insisted the exemptions allowed under the law are "very restricted."

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