FAIRBANKS, Alaska (TND) — Gym chain Planet Fitness is defending its decision to cancel the membership of an Alaskan customer who reported a “man in women’s locker room shaving.”
Customer Patricia Silva said she encountered an individual, whom she described as “a man with a penis,” while visiting a Planet Fitness location in Fairbanks, Alaska. She later detailed their interaction in a video shared via Facebook.
“I just came out of Planet Fitness,” Silva said in the video. “There is a man shaving in the women’s bathroom.”
In her description of the interaction, Silva said the individual defended themself by saying “I’m queer LGB [sic].” This, she claimed, was still an invasion of privacy as the individual was in the presence of a 12-year-old girl.
“I love him in Christ,” Silva said of the individual. “He is a spiritual being having a human experience. He doesn’t like his gender so he wants to be a woman, but I’m not comfortable with him shaving in my bathroom.”A Planet Fitness spokesperson told The National Desk (TND) Silva took a photo of the individual in the women’s locker room, violating the company's mobile device policy. This, the spokesperson wrote, goes against the gym’s “judgement free” rules.
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“As the home of the Judgement Free Zone, Planet Fitness is committed to creating an inclusive environment,” the spokesperson wrote via email. “Our gender identity non-discrimination policy states that members and guests may use the gym facilities that best align with their sincere, self-reported gender identity. The member who posted on social media violated our mobile device policy that prohibits taking photos of individuals in the locker room, which resulted in their membership being terminated.”
Silva condemned the decision in another Facebook video, adding she was going to report the incident to the police.
“This morning I got canceled,” she said. “Planet Fitness is defending the man in the women’s locker room, the man with a penis, rather than the child sitting in the corner with a towel wrapped around her.”
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The situation drew widespread debate across social media, including from X owner Elon Musk, who responded to one of the videos with an exclamation point. Utah State Rep. Phil Lyman, R-Emery, suggested Planet Fitness defended the individual because “transgender ‘rights’ supersede women’s rights.”
Planet Fitness’ non-discrimination policy notes employees cannot discriminate against transgender individuals, but may be required to investigate if a “serious concern or significant doubt” arises about an individual’s gender identity.
“If it is confirmed that a member is acting in bad faith and improperly asserts a gender identity, they may be asked to leave and their membership may be terminated,” the policy reads.
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