Horowhenua District Council
Captured
Q1: Do you provide communal single-sex changing and showering facilities?
Yes, at each of our Aquatic Facilities we provide communal single-sex changing and showering facilities.
Q2: Do you provide single occupancy changing and showering facilities? If so, how many at each site?
Yes, at Levin Aquatic Centre we provide three single occupancy changing and showering facilities and at Foxton Pools, we provide two.
Q3: Please provide any policies or procedures that apply to trans-identified people who wish to use the changing and showering facilities in your sites.
Horowhenua District Council (the Council) does not currently have specific policies or procedures relating to the use of changing and showering facilities by transgender or gender-diverse people. However, in 2024 Council endorsed and implemented gender-neutral signage for single-occupancy toilets and changing facilities across its sites, supporting inclusive and flexible use of these spaces.
Q4: How are your different changing and showering facilities labelled and described?
At Levin Aquatic Centre and Foxton Pools, the two main communal changing rooms are clearly labelled as male and female, with accompanying te reo Māori translations — tāne and wahine. Single-occupancy changing facilities are labelled using clear symbols that indicate the amenities available, such as a toilet, shower, or baby-changing facilities, along with text such as “changing room” or similar descriptive wording.
Q5: At your sites, which changing room and showering facilities is a trans-identified male permitted to use?
Currently, Council does not have a specific policy or formal guidelines relating to the use of changing and showering facilities by transgender or gender-diverse people. Council is committed to providing inclusive and welcoming facilities for all members of our community. To support individual comfort and privacy, we clearly identify and promote the availability of single-occupancy changing rooms at our sites, which can be used by anyone who prefers not to use communal facilities.
Q6: If applicable, do your facilities allow trans-identifying males to attend Women Only swim sessions?
Horowhenua District Council does not conduct any women only swim sessions or programming.
Our Verdict
We commend the multiple single-occupancy options but worry that their desire to be seen as "inclusive" will be bad news for women. They have thought about this enough to promote the single occupancy facilities, but are not willing to actually draw a line.
Links to any provided documents