A teenager from California said she was traumatized after seeing a transgender woman at the YMCA.
Rebecca Philips, 17, alleged that while she was changing into her clothes after showering from swimming laps in the pool last month, she spotted a trans woman in the adult women's locker room.
Philips spoke before the Council of Santee City–a suburb of San Diego.
“As I was showering after my workout I saw a naked male in the women’s locker room."
"I immediately went back into the shower, terrified, and hid behind their flimsy excuse for a curtain until he was gone.”
There was no mention of the misgendered individual to whom she was referring interacting with her, causing her any harm—verbally or physically—or even looking at her.
You can see the clip of Philips before the Council.
\u201cso the trans woman she\u2019s referring to didn\u2019t even\u2026 do anything? she was just minding her business and changing her clothes?\nhttps://t.co/Z8msCC1S86\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
She went on to discuss how transgender policies such as allowing trans women to change in female locker rooms should be changed.
The Daily Mailnoted Philips additionally expressed concern her five-year-old sister could suffer the same trauma she experienced.
However YMCA policy states neither Philips nor her sister should be using an adult locker room.
\u201cEvery YMCA I have ever been to has 4 locker rooms: Men, Women, Boys & Girls. Minors are not allowed to be naked with adults who are not vetted or relatives.\n\nSo what Rebecca\u2019s upset about here is that she\u2019s a minor who felt entitled to break the rules & is tattling to town hall.\u201d— big molly media (@big molly media) 1674097493
Philips continued:
“This is the YMCA, where hundreds of children spend their summer afternoons in childcare camps."
“This is the YMCA where my little sister took gymnastics lessons. The locker room was supposed to be her safe haven to gossip with her friends, and shower and change.”
\u201c@mattxiv Get this: Rebecca was the one breaking the rules:\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
According to the ACLU, business establishments, non-profits and government agencies that serve the public in California cannot discriminate based on gender identity.
The state law suggests sex-segregated facilities can be used by anyone who aligns with the corresponding gender identity.
When Philips brought up her concerns to the YMCA staff, she was told the person she saw was allowed to "shower where she pleased."
"I was made to feel as though I had done something wrong when I talked to people at the YMCA," she said.
"Somehow the indecent exposure of a male to a female minor was an inconvenience to them."
Philips alleged her father spoke about the incident at the Sheriff's office and he was allegedly advised to never allow his daughter to shower there again.
He was later allegedly contacted by Teri Maas, the Association Director of Membership Experience at YMCA of San Diego County. Maas informed him his daughter was not in any danger and she was safe.
Philips countered:
"Could you knowingly send an underage girl into a room with a naked male and say she was safe? Or it was right?"
"The fact that we are now tailoring our privacy policies and bathroom laws around transgenders, ignoring the blatant threat to safety that this poses is obsene."
"The safety of children, girls, is on the chopping block."
She claimed her complaint about her alleged incident wasn't politically motivated.
Social media users weren't convinced.
\u201c@mattxiv Jeez. And here is the problem. A trans woman changes in the women\u2019s changing rooms. Cis woman spots a piece of anatomy she deems should not be there, claims to be terrified, deliberately misgenders, and kicks up a stink. Meanwhile, trans woman was just trying to dry herself.\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
\u201c@mattxiv What does she think happens when dads bring daughters to gyms or campgrounds? Does she think 4 y.o. girls are sent alone to the women's showers, or 4 y.o. boys sent into the men's room alone? In an area where nudity is contextually appropriate, why are we traumatized to see it?\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
\u201c@mattxiv The way she was scared of a person existing and minding their business says a lot\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
\u201c@mattxiv \u201cI\u2019ve come here today to misquote Spider-Man not because of a committed crime, but because a young girl seeing an adult penis instead of an adult vagina is a perceived danger, and I\u2019d rather discriminate and misgender others than access and reflect upon my own reactions.\u201d\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
\u201c@SarahBWitkin @mattxiv Because in truth she's speaking from a place of privilege. Her own safety trumps the safety concerns of this trans person. And because she felt "unsafe" that means this trans person should not be in a public space they both have access to as people who identify as women.\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
\u201c@mattxiv As a cis woman, i always go to the stalls to change, but not everyone does and that\u2019s fine. Why would someone stare at someone\u2019s genetalia? Thats the weird part. Imagine continuously misgendering someone who did nothing wrong\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
\u201c@mattxiv Rebecca needs to learn how to keep her eyes to herself in public change-rooms. Don't think I'd want her, or her 5 year old sister, spying on me as I change after a workout?\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
\u201c@mattxiv Just another white woman weaponizing her white womanhood against someone who may be different in her space \ud83e\udd26\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
\u201c@mattxiv I love the support the transwoman got, even from cops. I'm absolutely choosing to see the positive side of this. Let the princess cry.\u201d— matt (@matt) 1674055972
The YMCA addressed the situation by issuing a statement that read:
"We are aware of a situation involving two members in the locker room of the Santee YMCA earlier this month."
"The comfort and safety of all our members is our highest priority. As a community focused organization, we strive to meet the needs of all individuals."
"We recognize that birth and gender identity are sensitive subjects."
"We rely on subject matter experts, laws, and guidelines established by the State of California to ensure our policies are welcoming and respectful for all community members."
The YMCA said they are in the process of reviewing their policies following the teen's complaint.
"As part of this commitment to ensure all individuals feel comfortable, we are reviewing locker room floorplans across all facilities within our association."
"Our goal is to ensure that everyone has access to additional privacy if desired and needed."
