Planet Fitness has banned a woman from using the gym after complaining of seeing a transgender woman in the women's locker room.
Yvette Cormier, a now former member of Planet Fitness Midland, felt bad that her membership has been canceled for violating the company's no judgement zone policy. Apparently, the gym defended the transgender woman for using the women's locker room because that's where she wanted to be. She was getting undressed when said person walked in.
"I was stunned and shocked. He looked like a man. He did not look like a woman," Cormier said in an interview with WNEM.com.
"This is very unprofessional. This is very scary," she added.
Cormier has no plans of winning her gym membership back. She just wanted to warn other female gym users of the policy so that they have the same mistake she had. She reiterated that the transgender woman really looked like a man and her reaction was a natural reaction of probably any woman who wasn't aware that they will be sharing the room with a transgender.
"I feel like it's kind of one-sided," she told Michigan Live. "I feel like I am the one who is being punished."
Planet Fitness released a statement after the incident.
"Planet Fitness is committed to creating a non-intimidating, welcoming environment for our members. Our gender identity non-discrimination policy states that members and guests may use all gym facilities based on their sincere self-reported gender identity," the fitness center franchise said.
"In expressing her concerns about the policy, the member in question exhibited behavior that club management deemed inappropriate and disruptive to other members, which is a violation of the membership agreement and as a result her membership was cancelled."
The incident is a win for the LGBT community, but Char Davenport, a professor at two universities and also a transgender woman, suggests that facilities like Planet Fitness should consider private shower or locker rooms for their community.
"Private showers and changing areas really would go a long way in resolving these issues," Davenport told WNEM.com.
