New city pool policy inclusive of transgenders

John Howell
Posted 9/17/15

As manager of the city’s skating rinks and pool, James Dorney sees scores of people every day and gets numerous requests. It’s all part of the job.

But while the pool was closed for …

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New city pool policy inclusive of transgenders

Posted

As manager of the city’s skating rinks and pool, James Dorney sees scores of people every day and gets numerous requests. It’s all part of the job.

But while the pool was closed for maintenance last week, he received a visit and an out-of-the-ordinary request that reached the mayor’s office and the city solicitor, resulting in a policy statement that already has many people questioning, “How is this possible, how’s it going to work?”

The visitor was a tall 51-year-old woman, who biologically is still a male. And the inquiry was over whether she would be entitled to use the ladies locker room.

Personally, Dorney didn’t see this as working.

“I don’t think if you’re equipped as a guy you should be in a ladies’ locker room,” he said Monday.

Dorney described his visitor as amenable.

“It was an inquiry. She was non-aggressive and very pleasant,” he said.

Nonetheless, Dorney realized the city needed to be prepared to deal with transgender visitors. How is the city to respond to people who consider themselves of one sex while biologically of the other?

He said he called the American Civil Liberties Union and was advised to be sure to have a policy in place, and the Transgender Alliance. He also talked with his superiors, and a policy recognizing transgender people was drafted and is now posted at McDermott Pool.

It reads, “The City of Warwick is committed to ensure that by law no individual will be denied or refused any accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges of that public place based on a person’s race or color, religion, ancestral origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.”

So far, the policy hasn’t been put to the test. The visitor of last week hasn’t returned.

But, nonetheless, Dorney envisions issues. In an effort to get a read on reaction, he said he questioned “every demographic” using the pool, covering a range of ages, ethnicity and sexual orientation.

“I haven’t met one person who thinks it is good,” he said.

As for the pool locker room, Dorney said the ladies’ locker room has individual shower stalls that offer a level of privacy not found in the men’s locker room with its open showers. Also, he said he is looking to convert separate men’s and ladies’ restrooms in the pool entry to a “family changing room” with shower that would be “gender neutral.”

With 350 people with season pool passes and another 500 with monthly passes, Dorney imagines he’s going to get a lot more feedback in addition to what he’s already heard.

But he’s prepared.

Comments

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  • RISchadenfreude

    "The visitor was a tall 51-year-old woman, who biologically is still a male"...politically correct for a cross-dressing man. Is anyone else tired of this behavior being passed off as "acceptable" and "normal", let alone "brave" or "courageous"? The loony left has fixed it so that if you DON'T accommodate aberrant behavior, your beliefs will be shouted down and the city, business, individual, etc., will be sued. He/she hasn't returned- probably disappointed there's no lawsuit to be had, no notoriety to be gained.

    Friday, September 18, 2015 Report this

  • JohnStark

    Perhaps some of our more progressive posters could respond, but what is the difference between a "transgender" and a "transvestite"? It seems a lot like how "quotas" became "affirmative action", which became "diversity", because who could ever be against diversity?

    Sunday, September 20, 2015 Report this

  • Pamela39

    Perhaps Mr. Stark you could become "progressive" by Googling for the answers yourself! Learning something new is sometimes best doing for yourself!

    Sunday, September 20, 2015 Report this