A cruel display at the YMCA; why transgender people are not safe
Chrystynne Wood, a transgender woman, addresses the city council at Santee City Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. Picture provided by Tribune Content Agency.
February 22, 2023
Several weeks ago, Rebecca Phillips went to the front desk of the Santee Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) to report that a “naked man” was inside the women’s locker room. She was then informed that because the alleged “man” was actually transgender, she could make use of the women’s locker room.
Christynne Lili Wrene Wood, the “man” in question, has fully completed her transition. Wood states that she always showers with the curtain closed, and in the private stalls of the locker room. This is due to past issues with gymnasiums not allowing her to use the women’s locker room. Which left her to face ridicule in the men’s locker room.
This situation has been completely blown out of proportion.
Phillips brings up the fact that her five-year-old sister uses the same locker room as Wood and that she is concerned for the safety of her siblings and her own. According to the YMCA membership policy, anyone under the age of 13 should be accompanied by an adult, which means that no children should be exposed to any danger because they should be with a parent, guardian, or sibling at all times.
The cruel way Phillips expressed her concerns was unacceptable, but now might be a good time to evaluate the YMCA’s policy for locker rooms and make the policies known to the general public to try and avoid future similar situations. However, it might be best if the YMCA and other gymnasiums considered adding a third, non-gendered locker room. That way, people who don’t feel comfortable can use that instead.
Christynne Wood is a fully transitioned woman, and her safety would be put at risk if she were to go into the men’s locker room. Phillips had no reason to shame Wood.
After this incident, it is not clear whether or not other transgender people will feel safe in either the men’s or women’s locker room due to fear that someone could publicly expose and ridicule them.
Rosa Alvarez Obando • Feb 25, 2023 at 10:51 pm
It’s very disappointing that the writer of this piece missed the ball completely on the extremely contentious topic that is Trans In Women’s Spaces, even within the gay and lesbian community. Ryelee Belgrade is out of touch with the realities of this problem as it becomes a literal snowball and many people are just sick of the lies that are perpetuated by (no offense) well meaning white women who see the world in black and white. There is nuance, in this case the rights of women and girls to have safe, sex-exclusive congregation without the opposite sex present. It matters now that Wood chose to mutilate himself, that is not my problem as a lesbian and a parent of girls. Wood does not belong in the women’s locker rooms and he knows it. If he was a decent person he would have done the right thing by using the 3rd option, which the gym had available. Ryelee has eyes and can clearly see Wood is undoubtedly male and no amount of surgeries can change that. Sounds male, too. This is a harmful message to that young woman and this article is not trauma informed.