During this past week, I was packing my things for track practice for the following day. Our event group planned to meet at Carver, so I thought I’d shower there when we were done. I put my shower supplies in my drawstring bag along with my change of running clothes. The next morning, I brought my practice stuff along with me to classes. Between class, lunch, and work study, I wasn’t going to have time to stop at my apartment to grab my things, so I just carried them with me throughout the day. Around noon, my track coach forwarded an email to our team about the women’s locker room in Carver being closed for the men’s basketball game that evening because the visiting team would be using it.
Upon reading the email, I felt annoyed. Not only would I have to walk all the way back to freaking Naeseth to shower, but I’d have to attend my sorority’s chapter meeting wearing my sweaty clothes. By the time I’d get back, it would be almost 8:00. At track practice, my teammates and I complained about being unable to go into the locker room, especially since they closed it at 4:00, even though the game started at 7:00. As practice went on, we began reflecting on the issue and questioned why we had to give up our space. For men.
In addition to this, there was an incident last year when our team was showering after practice. A few of our teammates walked out of the shower area to discover wrestlers in the locker room. We were confused as to a) why they were there and b) why we weren’t notified. Usually our coach informs us when the locker room is closed and a notice is taped on the locker room door. Plus, we were upset, as this was a liability and Title IX issue.
The problem isn’t necessarily that it’s inconvenient to not be able to use your own locker room. It’s being prevented from using our facility while the men’s athletic teams still have the advantage of using theirs. It’s not just one women’s team; several teams utilize the locker room and we all lose access to it. Not to mention that during women’s competitions, the men’s locker room isn’t shut down. Instead, the home and visiting teams share the women’s locker room. As a female student athlete, I think it’s unfair that we must give up our space to benefit the men. Plus, it feels as though the women’s athletics aren’t as valued as the men’s.
During my three years here, I’ve heard two justifications for this. One, that the opposing team needs a private space for strategizing. I understand that, but is there really a need to close an entire locker room for that purpose? There are other spaces available in Carver, such as classrooms and conference rooms. According to that logic, it wouldn’t make sense to force rivaling women’s teams to share a locker room where they can hear each other’s plans. It shows that the athletic department is more mindful of the men’s teams than the women’s. The second justification is that having opposing teams share a locker room space could lead to aggression. Honestly, if you fear that your athletes will get into fights with competitors, maybe they shouldn’t be on the team to represent your school in the first place. That, or you need to do a better job of controlling your athletes’ behavior. We shouldn’t have to be punished for the behavior of men.
Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against our men’s athletics. However, it’s important to discuss how this negatively impacts our community and why we feel upset. I know I’m not the only female student athlete to raise concern on the matter, and I hope some changes can be made in the near future. We are entitled to our space just as much as the men are entitled to theirs.