A woman was harassed by a group of young men who repeatedly sun lyrics from Kelis song Milkshake.
Sheryle Mardell said she felt ‘awful and intimidated’ as the men chanted ‘My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard’ at her while she used the sauna room at Levenshulme Swimming Pools in Manchester.
The group later apologised to a shocked Sheryle, but only after she rushed away to get changed and complained to staff.
The 43-year-old has since asked management at the baths to do more to address sexism.
Sheryle, who runs her own beauty and holistic therapy salon, said: ‘I have heard other horror stories where women have seen men relieving themselves in the showers. Some of the things other users have told me are horrific. It made me thing that there’s an urgent need for change.
‘I can stand up for myself and I won’t let it traumatise me, but it wasn’t pleasant.’
Sheryle took to social media to vent off about the incident and called on other women to stand up to sexism.
She wrote: ‘I’ve just been to Levenshulme Baths to use the sauna and steam. They only have mixed sessions there (supposedly) I was the only woman there I felt comfortable most of the time I was covered from my neck to my knees as I’d put a swim dress on.
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‘I used the steam room and then went to the sauna there were a lot of men there and young lads I used the sauna for a bit but as I walked past the lads they started singing Kelis: “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard”.
‘I felt awful and intimidated so I went to get changed fast – as I left I told the female member of staff what had happened and said I wanted to make a complaint as there are no female only sessions she had no forms but said I could speak to the manager. I told him what had happened and asked if he could start some female only sessions.
An online petition has been started backing Sheryle’s calls for women-only sessions.
Greenwich Leisure Limited, which manages the venue, said any discussions about gender segregation would have to be held in consultation with Manchester City Council.
Gillian Harwood, cluster manager for Levenshulme Pools, said: ‘We have not offered single sex sauna sessions at Levenshulme for nearly four years.
‘We are happy to review whether other customers would prefer this mode of working over the present mixed mode operation. As Levenshulme Pools are reaching the end of their working life, next spring the centre closes and customers will be able to use our new flagship venue – Arcadia Leisure Centre.’
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