If you're not comfortable with your body then getting undressed around strangers probably isn't high on your to do list but for trans people it's often much worse than feeling self conscious.
I hate to have to say this but I do have to say it. If you feel unsafe then get out of there, it's not worth taking any risks over. That said, I don't want to scare people. Personally, I've never had someone so much as look at me funny. I get changed and shower in changing rooms a few times a week. I've had guys pass comment on my tattoos but never my scars or the shape of my junk. Most people wouldn't dream of admitting to having been looking at someone get changed and are too nice to comment on something that might make a stranger uncomfortable.
Similarly to toilets, I think trans people who are just starting to social transition make a big deal of behaviour differences between the men's and woman's. There's not much difference. Ok, men's toilets (in changing rooms or not) tend to have more pee on the floor, and women's more toilet paper but that's really about it. Men still check their hair (men in gyms even more since there is higher incidence of serious vanity) and some people cover up whilst others don't. There's no special rules you need to know for either. If you don't want to stand out then just keep to yourself but equally don't worry if you turn round and happen to make eye contact with someone.
Really what it boils down to is finding what makes you most comfortable. It may well be you never use the changing rooms at all. If you do, it might be easier at first to take baby steps, there's something to be gained from challenging yourself but you don't need to dive all in. Start by just keeping your bag in the lockers so you get to see the changing rooms then take it from there.
Don't let changing rooms be a deal breaker in going to the gym because you probably can find solutions to ease your discomfort. Showers are typically individual these days, but if it's an issue make sure to look at them when you view gyms- tell the person showing you round you want to see they are clean if you need an excuse. You can wear your training clothes to the gym or under your regular clothes if it's too cold for that then you just take a layer off an on. You can change your underwear under a towel- this is quite normal, lots of people don't value nudity in public. You can change your underwear in the shower. You can get changed in the toilet. You can hang a towel over your shoulder/s so it's covering particular body areas. You can wear baggy underwear. You can get changed facing the wall. You can go at quieter times.
I hate to have to say this but I do have to say it. If you feel unsafe then get out of there, it's not worth taking any risks over. That said, I don't want to scare people. Personally, I've never had someone so much as look at me funny. I get changed and shower in changing rooms a few times a week. I've had guys pass comment on my tattoos but never my scars or the shape of my junk. Most people wouldn't dream of admitting to having been looking at someone get changed and are too nice to comment on something that might make a stranger uncomfortable.
Similarly to toilets, I think trans people who are just starting to social transition make a big deal of behaviour differences between the men's and woman's. There's not much difference. Ok, men's toilets (in changing rooms or not) tend to have more pee on the floor, and women's more toilet paper but that's really about it. Men still check their hair (men in gyms even more since there is higher incidence of serious vanity) and some people cover up whilst others don't. There's no special rules you need to know for either. If you don't want to stand out then just keep to yourself but equally don't worry if you turn round and happen to make eye contact with someone.
Really what it boils down to is finding what makes you most comfortable. It may well be you never use the changing rooms at all. If you do, it might be easier at first to take baby steps, there's something to be gained from challenging yourself but you don't need to dive all in. Start by just keeping your bag in the lockers so you get to see the changing rooms then take it from there.
Don't let changing rooms be a deal breaker in going to the gym because you probably can find solutions to ease your discomfort. Showers are typically individual these days, but if it's an issue make sure to look at them when you view gyms- tell the person showing you round you want to see they are clean if you need an excuse. You can wear your training clothes to the gym or under your regular clothes if it's too cold for that then you just take a layer off an on. You can change your underwear under a towel- this is quite normal, lots of people don't value nudity in public. You can change your underwear in the shower. You can get changed in the toilet. You can hang a towel over your shoulder/s so it's covering particular body areas. You can wear baggy underwear. You can get changed facing the wall. You can go at quieter times.