Transphobic Woman Kicked Out of Gym

The fact that discrimination like this still occurs is just dumbfounding. Unfortunately, everything from racism to homophobia to transphobia is alive and kicking, but thankfully, there are companies such as this gym that just won’t tolerate it.

Planet Fitness in Michigan, America, took the decision to ban one of their members from using their facilities following her continued transphobic chatter in the dressing rooms about one of their gym members, who happened to be transgender.

The woman, named Yvette Cormier, tells mlive.com that she couldn’t understand why there was a man in the female changing room. She was then told by staff that this person identified as a woman. Discontented, Cormier then took her query to management who responded in much the same manner as the floor staff. Members of the gym, said McCall Gosselin, their public relations director, are free to use whichever changing room they feel corresponds to their self-reported gender identity.

Following this, Yvette returned to the gym, deciding to chat to other gym goers of the horror she had witnessed. Management swiftly called her in over this, stating that if she didn’t drop the judgmental attitude, she would no longer be welcome at their facilities. Her membership was subsequently cancelled.

Will this act pave the way for making this woman stop and think about her judgements? Will it encourage her to be a little more open-minded? Will she seek out opportunities to educate herself on the ways in which others choose to identify themselves? Will this story have a domino effect on other similar-minded folks? We can only hope.

Here’s what the gym had to say in their official statement. For their actions, we say bravo.

“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 manner in which this member expressed her concerns about the policy exhibited behavior that management at the Midland club deemed inappropriate and disruptive to other members, which is a violation of the membership agreement and as a result her membership was cancelled.”

@CarolineForan