Planet Fitness revokes a woman's membership (Photo : Twitter/@instinctmag)
A debate sparked over transgender rights in Michigan when a local Planet Fitness decided to revoke a woman's gym membership after she refused to stop telling other members "a man" was using the women's locker room.
Carlotta Sklodowska came forward today following the termination of Yvette Cormier's gym membership made the headlines as for the reason that she complained about a transgender woman using the female locker room.
Sklodowska now asserts that she is the transgender woman Cormier saw and that she had only used the room twice-on separate visits-only to hang her purse and coat and to pick up her things after working out.
Cormier had complained to the Planet Fitness management staff in Midland last Saturday when she noticed "there was a man" in the locker room. She also said, "It freaked me out, why is a man in here?"
The staff then immediately informed her that the person she saw was transsexual and was actually allowed to use the room. When Cormier continued to complain, the gym's management decided to cancel her membership for violating its "no judgment zone" policy.
Sklodowska told MLive that she is not a member of the gym, but she was only using her friend's guest pass; adding that she asked the gym staff regarding the policy surrounding transgender individuals before she entered and used the changing room.
She said that a staff member told her that she can use the locker room that corresponds with how she is dressed.
Cormier told WNEM that she was stunned and shocked as for the reason that Sklodowska looked like a man and not a woman. The 48-year-old insists that she was not complaining because Sklodowska was transsexual, but only because she thought there was a man in the women's room.
"This is very unprofessional," she said. "This is very scary."
Planet Fitness maintains their decision over Cormier. They say that she has been talking about the incident with other people at the gym and that she has been inappropriate regarding the issue.
The gym said in the statement: "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."
'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 canceled.'
According to ABC News, Planet Fitness Director of Public Relations McCall Gosselin said that Cormier handled the situation rather poorly.
