Carlotta SkladowskaA Michigan woman had no idea that Planet Fitness gyms have a “no judgment” policy regarding the transgendered until the day a man dressed as a woman walked into the women’s locker room – and when she complained, they revoked her membership!
CNN is reporting on the case of Yvette Cormier whose membership at Planet Fitness was cancelled when she complained about the incident which took place on Saturday, February 28.
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The gym’s corporate headquarters says they didn’t cancel her membership because she complained, but because she attempted to warn other women about the policy and the possibility that this man could enter their locker room at any time, behavior that was deemed “inappropriate” and potentially disruptive to other members. As a result, her membership was cancelled.
Cormier is not backing down, however, and insists that this is something members should be told about when they sign up.
"If you have male parts you don't need to be in the women's locker room. I don't care what you are; I don't care if you're gay lesbian, transgender or transvestite. I am uncomfortable with you as a male in my locker room, in my restroom."
On the day of the incident, a man calling himself Carlotta Sklodowska but who looked very much like a man, walked into the women’s restroom. Cormier was so shocked she immediately went to the front desk.
"I wanted to know why there was a man in the women's locker room," she said. "He looked like a man, and that's what stopped me in my tracks."
The front desk employee told her about the company’s “no judgment” policy which allows people to use locker and rest rooms based on "their sincere, self-reported gender identity."
She immediately contacted the company’s headquarters and was told the same thing.
Out of concern for other women who used the gym and were equally unaware of the policy, she went back every day for four days to spread the word to other women that the gym allows men to use women’s private facilities.
"Every day I said 'just so you know, there's a man they allow in this locker room and they don't tell you that when you sign up,' " Cormier told CNN.
Not long after this, her membership was cancelled.
The action only brought more negative publicity to the gym as Cormier has now gone to the press in order to warn others about the policy.
Cormier wants Planet Fitness to do a better job of informing members that they allow members to use whatever facility corresponds with their “gender identity".
Sports minister Steve McConkey, president of 4 Winds Christian Athletics, disapproves of the company’s policy.
"Planet Fitness is policing people who do not want to be compromised by transgenders," states McConkey. "Christians need to pray as there is more to come. Sports ministries and churches think they will be exempt, but they will eventually be forced to accept homosexuality. Thirty-three state high school leagues now allow transgenders to be on any team they want. Now you go to the gym down the street and have gender confused people in the locker room."
Some have suggested that gyms who want to accommodate transgendered folks should simply designate a separate facility for their use which will safeguard the sensibilities and safety of all members rather than making others conform to the needs of a few.
It should not come down to allowing a man with ill-intent - who claims to believe he’s a woman - to enter a woman’s locker room and commit a crime before companies such as Planet Fitness see the potentially dangerous flaws in this policy.
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