English Bay Club Members celebrating/walking in Vancouver's 2016 Pride Parade

Supporting Trans* and Gender-Variant Members

We support all our members irrespective of their gender identity, sexual orientation, race, creed, or socioeconomic status. At the same time, we recognize the unique challenges our Trans* and Gender-Variant members may face when accessing washrooms and change rooms at aquatic facilities due to a lack of options, educated staff, and/or clear policies.
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Members of the EBSC Executive Committee have discussed these matters with the management at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre and Second Beach Pool (the facilities where we hold our practices) to ensure support for the rights of our Trans* and Gender-Variant members to change and shower in the change room that most closely aligns with their gender identity, or in which they feel most comfortable. If Trans* and Gender-Variant members feel unsafe or unwelcome in change rooms, they should notify an Executive Committee member or one of the coaches who are prepared to take necessary measures to intervene on behalf of the club member.

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Facilities used by EBSC Swimmers

In the long-term, the Vancouver Parks Board is in the process of implementing a comprehensive set of recommendations brought forward by the Trans* and Gender Variant Working Group in April 2014 to ensure greater Trans* and Gender-Variant inclusivity at Vancouver parks facilities. In the interim, English Bay Swim Club has included details below about the changing facilities at Vancouver Aquatic Centre and the Second Beach Pool, which Trans* and Gender-Variant members of our team may find helpful in navigating these spaces. There are no universal change room options at either of the facilities.

Vancouver Aquatic Centre

This is the facility used by EBSC for its swim practices during the regular season (September through July)
Men’s change room: The men’s change contains several bathroom stalls suitable for private changing. The showers are open concept with minimal privacy.
Women’s change room: The women’s change room also contains several bathroom stalls suitable for private changing. The women’s change room has a few private shower stalls.

Second Beach Pool

This is the facility used by EBSC for its Sunday morning swim practices during the summer only (late May through August). The shower facilities at Second Beach are outdoors and on the deck next to the pool in plain view. Club members typically shower with their swimsuits on and then change in the men’s or women’s change rooms.
Men’s change room: The men’s change room is open concept but in the bathroom section of the facility, there are a few stalls suitable for private changing options.
Women’s change room: The women’s change room is mostly open concept but in the bathroom section of the room, there are a few stalls suitable for private changing options.

Swim Attire Policy

Your fellow EBSC swimmers and coaching staff are committed to supporting Trans* and Gender-Variant team members by showing sensitivity and awareness concerning team members’ choice of swim garment matching their situation and needs. We all, at EBSC, understand that these choices are a personal matter and fully supported without need of explanation.

Competition Policy

EBSC encourages its members to participate in Masters swim competitions (swim meets). Of course whether you decide to join in these fun events is your choice, but we can assure you that fellow EBSC swimmers, Executive Committee and coaching staff are committed to supporting our Trans* and Gender-Variant swimmer who wish to participate in MSABC-sanctioned Master’s swim meets. In particular, we support the right of our Trans* and Gender-Variant identified members to compete in the gender category of competition that most closely aligns with their self-identified gender identity.
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Your Executive Committee also recognize that the current circumstances in competition function primarily along the gender binary (i.e., female and male race categories), which works for some Trans* club members and may exclude others. All of us at EBSC are committed to being leaders and advocates in competition by collaborating with Trans* and Gender-Variant members wishing to compete in a non-binary gender category within MSABC-sanctioned swim meets. The EBSC has begun a respectful and productive dialogue with MSABC about how to best increase gender inclusivity within sanctioned swim meets. For more information about the ongoing needs and trends of Trans* and Gender-Variant athletes in competition, you should take a look at "Sport in Transition", a Report prepared for the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.