MIDLAND, Mich. — A Planet Fitness location in Michigan has revoked the membership of a woman who complained—and then warned other women at the gym—about a man who identifies as a woman who uses the womens’ locker room.
Yvette Cormier, 48, told reporters that she walked into the locker room last Saturday to find a man wearing makeup and a wig in the womens’ locker room.
“I just stopped right there in my tracks,” she told ABC News. “It was a man for sure.”
Cormier then went to the front desk to express concern. She states that she was told that others have complained, but that the facility allows patrons to use the locker room with which they identify.
“That should be something they pointed out when I signed up,” Cormier said. “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.”
She went back to Planet Fitness a few days later, at which time she began to warn other female club members that there was a man changing in the womens’ locker room. The next day, the corporate office of Planet Fitness called Cormier and informed her that she had violated their “no judgment” policy and that it had decided to revoke her membership.
Spokesperson McCall Gosselin states that Cormeir’s membership wasn’t canceled simply because she complained, but rather the way that she handled the matter.
“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 canceled,” she said in a statement.
“Planet Fitness is committed to creating a nonintimidating, welcoming environment for our members,” Gosselin continued. “Our gender identity nondiscrimination policy states that members and guests may use all gym facilities based on their sincere self-reported gender identity.”
But Cormier says that she finds it ironic that instead of the man being addressed about the matter, she was the one who was reprimanded.
“I feel it’s kind of one sided,” she told MLive. “I feel like I am the one who is being punished.”
The transgendered male, who identifies as Carlotta Sklodowska, told reporters this past week that he doesn’t have a membership at the location and was just visiting with a friend. He states that he had used the locker room on couple of occasions to hang up his purse and coat.