A woman from Midland, Michigan has been banned from Planet Fitness after she complained about a man using the women's locker room, thus violating the gym's "no judgment" policy.
After walking into a Planet Fitness locker room, Yvette Cormier, 48, was shocked to see a man who appeared to be wearing a wig and makeup.
"[The man] was huge [and] very manly," she told ABC News, "I just stopped right there in my tracks. It was a man for sure."
When she inquired of the front desk why a man was there, the employee simply explained that the man identified as a woman.
"And then he said, 'We've had lots of complaints about him but we told him to go change in a stall,'" Cormier recalled.
"He said, 'if you're uncomfortable with that you can wait until he's done in there,'" she said. "I stood back and said, 'How about he waits until I'm done in the women's locker room. Or get a unisex bathroom.' He asked if I would like to talk to the manager and I said, 'I'm calling corporate."
In turn, Planet Fitness' corporate office told Cormier that the gym was a "no judgment zone" and they would not tell the individual in question to stay out of the women's locker room.
Disturbed the company's policy, Cormier informed other women at the gym about what she had seen. However, because she refused to stop speaking about the issue, Planet Fitness revoked her membership, calling her concerns "divisive."
"Our gender identity non-discrimination policy states that members and guests may use all gym facilities based on their sincere self-reported gender identity," McCall Gosselin, public relations director for Planet Fitness, explained.
"[We are] committed to creating a non-intimidating, welcoming environment for our members."
However, Cormier says the policy not only makes her uncomfortable, but also does not create a safe environment for women.
"I feel it's kind of one-sided. I feel like I am the one who is being punished," she said. She added that her solution would be to offer a third locker room for transgender people. The women's locker room features s private changing stalls and includes bathroom stalls with doors.
"Planet Fitness is policing people who do not want to be compromised by transgenders," said Sports minister Steve McConkey, who fought the International Olympic Committee in 2003 for allowing transgenders in the Olympics. "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."
The issue of biological males and females using facilities intended for the opposite biological sex is growing as an increasing number of companies, schools and other organizations adopt non-discrimination policies.
Earlier this month, lawmakers in Charlotte, NC attempted to pass an ordinance which would rank "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" higher than biological sex, thus allowing transgender men to use public women's restrooms, and vice versa. Although the city council voted 6-5 against the proposed ordinance at its March 2 meeting, Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said it is frightening that such policies are even considered.
"[This policy] is not only ridiculous, it's unsafe," Rev. Graham said.
"Common sense tells us that this would open the door, literally, to all sorts of serious concerns including giving sexual predators access to children. It violates every sense of privacy and decency for people of both sexes, adults and children."
David Benham, co-author of "Whatever the Cost," has also encouraged Christians to take a stand regarding the issue, arguing that soon, business owners will likely be forced to violate their religious convictions or risk lawsuits.
"What's going to end up happening.. is our religious liberties are going to come under attack," said Benham. "Not only do Christians need to stand up for what's right, but America needs to protect our children and our children's children."
