Today @SamCSheff and I visited Sheffield @marksandspencer and @jlandpartners to see if they allow men in women’s changing rooms and what their staff think of that. #BoycottMarksAndSpencer

First we chose a number of items of lingerie we probably wouldn’t wear in a month of Sundays .... all in the cause

Then we took them to the female lingerie changing room - which has cubicles with open tops and also chairs just outside the doors for “people” to sit outside and see what they think of our choices - as women.

I asked the changing room assistant a number of questions about who was allowed in. She said men are if they dress as a woman. I asked what that meant. She said “oh you know”. I said I was a man could I come in. She said “but you’re a woman!” I asked how she knew.

She replied “well you just are!” I said “but I’ve got jeans and a jumper on just like men .... so are you saying you know the difference between a man and a woman?” She said “of course I do” I said “we all do don’t we?” She said “yes but you know I have to do what they say”

I asked who can sit in the chairs just inside the fitting room. Could my 6ft 2 bloke sit there? “No! No men. Just women!” I said “what if he says he’s a man?” She said “is he a woman?” I said no of course not. She then seemed confused.

A young girl around 12 I’d say came in and I asked the assistant to step outside for her comfort. I said “is it ok for that little girl to try on her first bra next to a man shouting about himself and his body in the next cubicle?” She said “I know. I don’t really agree”.

I left a message in their guest book

Then we took the bras down to the men’s changing room. At first there was no one on the door. So I popped inside.

Eventually a male changing room assistant came and I said “can I try these on in there?” He said “No unfortunately not.” I asked why. He said “Because you’re a woman.” I said “I’m not I’m a man” he said “oh ok then”. I asked if he knew what a woman was. He said “course I do”

I said “we all know what a woman and a man is don’t we?” He said “Yes. But I haven’t had the training yet. I don’t really know anything”

We left and went up to @jlandpartners to see if they know what a man or a woman is and if they let men in their changing rooms

We picked out a number of items and went off to the lingerie fitting room where the cubicles all had open tops which were very low. The disabled room had a curtain only.

I asked the woman on the door “do you let men in while I’m trying these on?” She said “yes”. I said “any man?” She said “well ... yes as long as they look like a woman ” I asked what that was .... she said “well some of em wear wigs and have their nails done and that”

I said but I am not “dressed as a woman” I’m in jeans and my nails aren’t done so how do you know? She replied “well you just are - it’s your hair and your voice and everything” ... I said “so how do you know someone is not a man?” ... she looked confused.

I asked “what would you do if a man came in and women weren’t happy or he was putting a camera over the cubicle ... she said “Well I would take action!” I asked what since she was tiny and slightly built. She said “I don’t know really.” I said “can I take these down to the men’s?

She said “no I don’t think so.” So I did anyway

So we went down to the men’s and I asked if I could go in. The woman on the door got a bit panicky and said “Yes” I said so I can go in the men’s?” She said “yes if you want to but I can’t fit you with that or touch you” I asked if men can go in the women’s she said “yes”

I asked if she knew the difference between men and women She continued “well in this day and age yes”... I asked what she meant and she said “we can’t single people out or it’s discrimation” I said “but there is law which would allow for single sex space

She repeated “yes but in this day and age I agree with it all” I said “150 years ago people couldn’t change sex and they still can’t ... can they?” She said “why are you targeting me?” I said I was asking company policy but she didn’t seem to know it. She called a manager over

He said “We have had meetings. No men can’t go in the women’s changing rooms” ... I asked since when since the woman upstairs didn’t know that. He said “She won’t yet. It’s not out yet.” I asked for clarification “so you are saying no men - no matter what they say or wear can

Go in the women’s fitting rooms and he said “No. we had a few incidents in a store with this kind of thing with men and now we have said no - we have had enough. We are changing it.” I thanked him and said I hoped they could train all staff on this new policy soon.

So which is true @jlandpartners ...? Yes men can go in women’s changing rooms or no they can’t?

One thing I forgot ... the woman in @jlandpartners before the manager came said “if someone was uncomfortable with the situation they could be moved to a different area” .... I asked who would be moved from a woman’s changing area .... would it be the woman? .... she said

“Well if a woman was uncomfortable...” ... so I pointed out that the man trying underwear on in a woman’s changing room had done that because he wanted to be there so he would hardly be uncomfortable with women there ..... she said that the person who was u comfortable would move

So a woman @jlandpartners .... according to your employee .... should move from a women’s lingerie fitting area if a man wanted to try a bra on .... get your heads round this fast and make your policy clear to all employees