Is it appropriate for a female Athletic Director to be in the boy's locker room?

Question

At my high school, the athletic director just retired. He was an old man, and after 20 years I guess he had had enough. Anyway, the woman who replaced him (school's first ever female AD) is about 30-something years old and has two kids (if that matters). Anyway, because it's a traditionally male role, the AD's office is attached to the boys's locker room, and the only way in and out is to walk directly through the locker room. On the way out there are open showers that can be clearly seen as well as urinals. Is it appropriate for the AD to see these boys naked in the showers or at the urinals? If not what can be done about it? The arrangement right now is kind of getting me angry because I don't want some lady watching me shower after gym class.

Answer 1

DO THIS: Have your parents send an email to the School Board Superintendent (or whomever the top official is in your school system.

At the same time, they should send a registered letter with the same content.

At the same time, send an email or letter to the local news station.

- and watch the situation change almost immediately.

Answer 2

Would it be easy to switch male/female locker rooms, if there's only a couple urinals maybe those can be switched over? Cheaper would be to hang a kind of shower curtain around the showers but there'd still be boys in their underwear in the rest of the locker room so I guess not everyone would be comfortable with that.

What are the other rooms around her office? Changing the location of the door would be a larger renovation and chances are they won't want to do that until summer vacation but it'd be the best long-term solution. Nowadays there's no more typical gender roles so the next person in who-knows-how-many years may be male again; if the locker rooms get switched around they'll have a problem again a few years down the road unless they just give both sexes all regular toilets & you boys will just have to 'miss the rim' so to speak... then it'd be a simple matter to switch locker rooms when there's a new AD.

Oh, relocating the door will make it easier if a male or female *student* wants to see the AD, or a colleague, or a parent, etc, etc! For I guess it'd cause quite an uproar if a female student came through, even if the showers & urinals were curtained off. What were the architects thinking when they made this arrangement???? Or was it a male-only school without even female teachers?

Answer 3

No this isn't appropriate, and now you appreciate how established sexism (ie, having the AD always be a man) can backfire.
You and your parents should petition the school to change the physical set-up of the office so that the boys can have some privacy while they shower and change. It is just as inappropriate to have an adult female see boys undress as it is for an adult male to see girls undress. I'm sure your new AD doesn't relish the idea, either, and would be happy to have a different office, or at least a new entrance.
Talk to the dean of students and the principals. Your concerns are perfectly valid, and they should make some effort to help the situation. Your parents can help you and your classmates address the school board, if necessary.

Answer 4

NO. It is not appropriate. It is inappropriate for any adult teacher to be present in the shower room of the opposite sex. If it were a male teacher in the female locker room, this would not even be an issue. Your feelings are perfectly valid, and I am sure the other students, at least some of them, feel the same way. Talk to your classmates, your parents, your teacher, and the principal, and get this fixed immediately.

I don't even think it's appropriate for female reporters to be in the men's locker rooms. It makes me mad!

Answer 5

This is the most outrageos thing I ever heard. If it were a man in the girls locker room people would be outraged, it would be the top story on every news show, and the parents of the girls would be suing. If your parents don't know, tell them right away! Contact the school board. If that doesn't work, contact the local media, make sure it is well publicized, and tell your parents to get an attorney!

Answer 6

~~~I understand how you would feel. She should not be allowed access to the boys locker room under any cercimstance. Im sure they can make her another door to exit from. Let me tell you,,if it was a Male Athletic Director going through the girls locker room, do you think people would be so non-chalant about it. I think not,,,,you would be reading about it in the newspaper. She has no right to be in there. You need to go right to the School Board with this one. You are right and you "have" rights too.....

Answer 7

Guess I don't see a problem, if she's a director or other staff and her job takes her in there, so what? If worst comes to worst and someone seees somethign it's all just human bodies. We have male staff sometimes come through the girls locker area to fix stuff or open a bad locker or something, and no big deal.

Answer 8

This is a lawsuit waiting to happen! I am assuming your parents don't know about it, tell them NOW! And make sure they see a lawyer! It's time to end the double standard, males deserve privacy just as much as females do!

Answer 9

Stephen, you are also assuming his parents will care! They might just tell him to take it like a man. As a society we tend to protect our daughters, while throwing our sons to the wolves. This needs to change.

Answer 10

Well, she probably isn't watching you (at least I hope she isn't). But something should be done because it is inappropriate. She needs to get another office.