Planet Fitness in Michigan has revoked the gym membership of a woman who complained and told other members about a man using the women’s locker rooms.
According to various sources, the gym revoked Yvette Cormier’s membership because she violated their “judgment free” conduct policy.
In response to the situation, Planet Fitness released a statement saying,
“Our gender identity non-discrimination policy states that members and guests may use all gym facilities based on their sincere self-reported gender identity.”
Ms. Cormier told CNN the policy was “something they [should have] pointed out when I signed up.” She told another news outlet, “I wouldn’t have signed up for this gym if I knew that ahead of time” and that the gym is “failing to protect me if anything happens in those locker rooms with a man.”
Fortunately for Ms. Cormier, she can still take her business to a gym that does not let biological males who claim to be female use the women’s locker rooms; however, under some of the so-called “nondiscrimination” laws and ordinances filed around the country, all “places of public accommodation” (including fitness gyms) would be forced to let a man use the women’s locker rooms, showers, and changing areas if he claims to be a woman.
This was a concern many people raised about the ordinance the Fayetteville City Council passed last year; that ordinance was repealed at a special election, but the Eureka Springs City Council hastily passed an even broader ordinance last month.
The issue is one of public safety, which Ms. Cormier summed up very well in her interview with CNN:
“This is all new to me. I didn’t go out to specifically bash a transgender person that day. I was taken aback by the situation. This is about me and how I felt unsafe.”