# Canadian ruling that male & female hockey players must use the same dressing room **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405 "2004-11-06T22:04:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/1 "2004-11-06T22:04:49Z")
[News of the Weird](http://www.anchoragepress.com/archives-2004/weirdnewsvol13ed44.shtml) claims that this story is true. I 've googled but can’t find a link for it anywhere. Is this story legit? > [@](#): > > A Canadian province’s human rights commission ruled that adolescent girls and boys playing on the same hockey team can’t be segregated into separate locker rooms. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/2 "2004-11-06T22:17:28Z")
Yup. Here’s the story: [N.B. Ruling Opens Locker Room to Girls](http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1097365845846_35?hub=Canada). The rationale is that the locker room camaraderie is an important part of being part of the team, particularly since the coach will come into the locker room and give coaching tips. As for modesty issues, it sounds like the locker room is more of a change room than, say, an NFL locker room. The boys wear shorts, the girls wear shorts and t-shirts, and showering is at different times. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/3 "2004-11-06T22:18:36Z")
Wouldn’t surprise me. Sometimes our governments make truly astonishingly stupid decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/4 "2004-11-06T22:21:47Z")
So how are the boys supposed to put on their cups in front of the girl? That won’t be embarassing to a teenaged boy? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/5 "2004-11-06T22:27:17Z")
Boys and girls shared a changing room in my high school drama program. People that wished to trek across the cold auditorium to the bathrooms could change in private, but few people did that for longer than the first couple weeks. Mostly it was a big costume and makeup free-for-all in the green room. If there is ever a bunch of horny insecure teenagers, it’s the drama club. And yet changing wasn’t a big deal at all. Changing just isn’t that sexy at all. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/6 "2004-11-06T22:27:53Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > So how are the boys supposed to put on their cups in front of the girl? That won’t be embarassing to a teenaged boy? I can imagine that would be highly embarrassing for both genders. Perhaps they’d use a stall in the bathroom? Or, I can envision a curtain dividing the room into two halves or something… ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/7 "2004-11-06T23:01:24Z")
> [@even sven](#): > > Boys and girls shared a changing room in my high school drama program. People that wished to trek across the cold auditorium to the bathrooms could change in private, but few people did that for longer than the first couple weeks. Mostly it was a big costume and makeup free-for-all in the green room. If there is ever a bunch of horny insecure teenagers, it’s the drama club. And yet changing wasn’t a big deal at all. Changing just isn’t that sexy at all. We do that in theatre, too, only in a very, very small room. It’s really not that big a deal. ---
**Author:** ![Hadrian0117](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Hadrian0117](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hadrian0117)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/8 "2004-11-06T23:25:13Z")
Wouldn’t it be easier to order the coaches not to give tips to the team members while they’re changing? And can parents of children who don’t wan’t their sons/daughters changing with the opposite sex sue for a seperate changing area? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/9 "2004-11-07T00:06:12Z")
Well, but if the coach wants to talk to the whole team, where would he/she do it, if not in the dressing room? It would have to be a room big enough for the whole team, quiet enough that the kids could hear what the coach says, and perhaps private, if the coach doesn’t want the other team to know what they’re talking about. Most rinks don’t have spare rooms that would fulfill that purpose - the dressing room is where that happens. ---
**Author:** ![Hadrian0117](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Hadrian0117](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hadrian0117)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/10 "2004-11-07T00:09:17Z")
> [@Northern Piper](#): > > Well, but if the coach wants to talk to the whole team, where would he/she do it, if not in the dressing room? It would have to be a room big enough for the whole team, quiet enough that the kids could hear what the coach says, and perhaps private, if the coach doesn’t want the other team to know what they’re talking about. Most rinks don’t have spare rooms that would fulfill that purpose - the dressing room is where that happens. I meant have the coach wait until all the players had their gear on then let other sex in. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/11 "2004-11-07T00:34:49Z")
I played on a co-ed high school varsity soccer team (back in the late 1970’s, yet!) and boys and girls changed in the same room. I agree that it’s really not that big a deal, especially when you’re talking about teammates who are supposed to have a certain amount of mutual support and camaraderie anyway. And it’s perfectly possible to change discreetly under a towel or garment without exposing what you’d rather not have other people see. By the way, I didn’t see any evidence in the article that the female player’s coach or teammates objected to her sharing the change room with the boys. (On the contrary, one former coach is quoted in favor of it.) It was just a sports association rule that required her to use a different room. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/12 "2004-11-07T03:39:20Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > So how are the boys supposed to put on their cups in front of the girl? That won’t be embarassing to a teenaged boy? I think encouraging mature behaviour in adolescents will result in less embarrassment. Besides, we’re talking about Canadians and hockey. Team comes first. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/13 "2004-11-07T04:15:44Z")
One of my buddies used to play hockey in high school, in a coed team. So I asked him about this. > [@](#): > > Peppercini: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=285227](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=285227) > Peppercini: So how DID you put your cup on while getting dressed in a coed locker room? > Tony: i came pre-dressed in my hockey sweats > Tony: and I had a _goalie_ cup, which is a bit too BIG to be worn under garments. > Peppercini: ::scratching head:: So you put your cup in or on before travel? > Tony: no > Tony: i’m saying I didn’t have to disrobe to put my cup on > Tony: I came dressed in one of two ways: > Tony: pants and underwear > Tony: Or pants, sweats, and underwear > Peppercini: So what did the other guys do? > Tony: they usually put their cups on over their underwear > Tony: it’s actually a bit more comfortable that way > Tony: the rubber lining on most cups chafes. > Peppercini: ::nod:: I wouldn’t know…I’ve never worn one. > Tony: The women on my team did the same thing > Tony: except their cup was more of a plate… > Peppercini: A saucer, maybe? 😉 > Tony: more-or-les > Tony: s > Peppercini: OK, I’m posting this to the board. I have altered his AIM name to Tony, as he doesn’t like IMs from people he doesn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![jester21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@jester21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jester21)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/14 "2004-11-07T05:44:33Z")
I think the most obvious solution to the “problem” is to not get completely naked while changing! … Serioiusly… when in gym class (I’m assuming everyone here went to school, and at some point had a gym class), did you EVER get completely naked, except to shower? It’s not difficult at all to put on your gear w/o getting completely naked. And if you can play a sport for 3 hours, I think you can wait 30 extra minutes to shower afterwards. (and to be fair, you could alternate who shower’s first) And, I recall many a cross-country event where I didn’t shower until I got home. (granted, a lot less equipment, ergo, not as sweaty when done) Anyway, I don’t think it’d be a big deal. It’s mostly a problem because of Fear Rabid parents who are all too eager to “sue the school” because Little Timmy saw Sweat Jessica in her undies… but is all to happy to send her to the beach in a g-string bikini. ---
**Author:** ![smilingscar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@smilingscar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smilingscar)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/15 "2004-11-07T17:29:52Z")
i think we’re skipping the real dilemma here, what will happen to locker room antics as a result of this? will boy’s still snap each other with wet towels? will shoes still be thrown? will they still pants each other? and of course the infamous/inevitable line: “oh i’m sorry, the flap of my boxers just opened by accident.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/16 "2004-11-08T04:14:39Z")
> [@even sven](#): > > If there is ever a bunch of horny insecure teenagers, it’s the drama club. And yet changing wasn’t a big deal at all. Thinking back to my high school drama club, the line from Mrs. Slocum seems to apply: “But there was two sexes in the room _before_ we ladies came in!” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/17 "2004-11-08T11:38:21Z")
> [@Northern Piper](#): > > Yup. Here’s the story: [N.B. Ruling Opens Locker Room to Girls](http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1097365845846_35?hub=Canada). … The boys wear shorts, the girls wear shorts and t-shirts, and showering is at different times. So whe gets to stay smelly and sweaty after a workout, the boys or the girls? If they work out together, they need showers at pretty much the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Lockz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Lockz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockz)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-ruling-that-male-female-hockey-players-must-use-the-same-dressing-room/273405/18 "2004-11-08T12:59:04Z")
I feel qualified to answer here, as I’ve played about 12 years of minorr hockey, and almost all of those years I’ve had girls on the team. What the guys did (including me) was strip down to their underwear and then start from there. (Note: I never knew a jock was supposed to to go on directly! I’ve always done it and seen it over shorts or something). The girls usually stripped down to shorts and t-shirt, although in one of my last years there was a girl on my team who would just wear a bra or sports bra instead of a tshirt under her shoulder pads. Sure, the first couple times I saw her in a bra I was like “Woah, she’s in a bra.” Then I went back to changing. Everyone prefered to shower when they got home until the last couple years when a few guys decided to shower at the rink. I’m sure the girls looked once or twice, but the guys didn’t care, and the girls didn’t either. We’d occasionally play against another team that had a few girls on it, on the solution for them seemed to be to have the girls change first, wait outside, let the guys change, then let the girls back in so the coach could talk. Our coach always waited until the end, when only one or two of us were still getting dressed, to give us a talk. But it’s still important for the players to talk with each other, because part of the team feeling is developed in the dressingroom. Anyone have any questions, please ask.