Following a complaint from a customer, Topshop has announced gender neutral changing rooms in all their stores.
Travis Alabanza tweeted the retailer after he felt he experienced transphobia in their Manchester store. He stated that gender changing rooms put “trans and queer shoppers at risk from harassment from other shoppers”.
Hey @Topshop just experienced transphobia in your Manchester store. Not letting me use the changing room I decide is shit, sort it out.
— Travis (@travisalabanza) November 5, 2017
Gendered changing rooms , effect and put queer and trans shoppers at risk from harassment from other shoppers. It’s dated and dangerous
— Travis (@travisalabanza) November 5, 2017
Who made you in charge of deciding who is woman enough to use ur changing room? U just lost an easy sale and money.
— Travis (@travisalabanza) November 5, 2017
The tweet which was published four days ago has received huge attention from fellow fans of the store who too feel isolated from the store’s “lack of sensitivity on this issue”.
Since then, Topshop has responded and stated that they have now updated their policy to ensure this issue doesn’t occur anymore.
Hi Kate,
Please be advised that we recently updated our Changing Rooms policy.
Thanks, TS Help
— Topshop (@Topshop) November 6, 2017
People however, are still sceptical as one user tweeted saying that they promised a changing room policy change already in July and now feel their promise will fall through again.
Um @Topshop this was brought to your attention a while back and I was assured you were changing your changing room policy ?
— terfs r all uglie (@B00B_DYLAN) November 5, 2017
Travis, who felt victimised by the store spoke with Buzzfeed saying: “I did think I could buy the dresses and take them home to try on, but I felt like, why am I doing this? My day instantly became politicised when all I wanted was a chill day shopping. It’s just been a whole stretched-out thing when all I wanted was to go into Topshop and go out. I normally online shop for this reason.”
Topshop has also announced that all it’s changing rooms in their 14 Irish stores will now be gender neutral in a statement to the Independent.ie.
This introduction has caused mixed feelings amongst the public with some believing it’s a fantastic step forward for our society while others feel the opposite.
How many men are going to exploit gender neutral changing areas to spy on and sexually assault women? A very real risk, @Topshop.
— Sister Outrider (@ClaireShrugged) November 8, 2017
@GMB @Topshop gender neutral changing rooms now!! How safe is a 13 yr old girl in a changing room that’s full of men? #askingfortrouble
— miss lorraine kelly (@lankylolly) November 9, 2017
I’m so happy that topshop are making their changing rooms gender neutral
— charlotte (@charlmacdougall) November 10, 2017
Both my parents are losing their mind because topshop have gender neutral changing rooms and saying “the world’s gone mad”. Completely ridiculous
— Josh (@queershadows) November 10, 2017
