The topic of transgender inclusion in gym locker rooms has come up again in the wake of Planet Fitness’ recent hiring of a CEO who prioritizes diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
A much-publicized incident involving a gym patron who recorded a transgender woman using the women’s locker room at the brand’s Fairbanks, Alaska, location highlights the challenge of weighing the comfort and privacy concerns of gym users against the rights of transgender individuals to utilize facilities consistent with their gender identity.
Is there middle ground?
On one hand, transgender persons frequently encounter prejudice and unease in public areas, such as locker rooms. For a transgender individual, using the locker room that matches their gender identity might be a crucial first step in self-acceptance and social integration. Refusing to let transgender people use the locker room of their choice can be interpreted as an act of exclusion and may exacerbate feelings of loneliness and dysphoria.
On the other hand, some gym patrons may feel uneasy or even frightened using a locker room with someone whose biological sex is different from their own. This uneasiness is frequently attributed to possible safety hazards and privacy issues around nudity.
Range of reactions
AB Today, the online newsletter companion to Athletic Business magazine, chronicled the aforementioned incident and resulting fallout in three articles. The first headline read, “Planet Fitness Revokes Membership of Woman Who Videoed Trans Woman in Locker Room.” Published just three days later, a follow-up aritcle — “Planet Fitness Stock Tumbles After Woman’s Membership Revoked for Taking Video of ‘Man in Woman’s Locker Room’ ” — covered the near-instant backlash and calls for a nationwide boycott. Finally, “Founder of Planet Fitness: Business ‘Pretty Much Destroyed’ Amid Boycott,” describes the real damage done to the Planet Fitness brand in the wake of the chain's DEI policy implementation.
The second of the three articles elicited the most reader reaction, including the following:
Commentor: “I understand that the woman taking the video in the locker room might have technically violated the club rules, but if she had not documented the incident, how else was she to make her point without it being dismissed as hearsay? It is time for PF and any other facility that wants to cater to trans inclusiveness to remodel and provide a third set of open and neutral changing/showering/grooming areas.”
Commentor: “I canceled my membership when I heard about this. I have nine-year-old triplet girls. I don’t want them to see naked men in the locker room.”
Commentor: “According to the news report that I saw, it was a photo of a fully dressed man. Not a video of a naked man.”
Commentor: “It is irrelevant. The guy was wearing clothes. The fact was he was in a woman’s locker room and could see naked or partially clothed women. What else was he doing in there other than shaving?”
Commentor: “Taking pictures in the locker room is strictly forbidden, as outlined in the membership docs the picture taker signed...full stop. The minute she did that and produced evidence, her membership was immediately revoked. So, all the posters in support of the woman taking pictures in the locker room, even when it is against company policy, are okay with her taking pictures of you while you’re unclothed in the locker room?”
Possible fixes
How can gyms make a place that is welcoming and safe for everyone? Here are a few possible fixes:
• Multiple locker room options: Gyms may provide a range of locker room alternatives, such as family locker rooms, single-stall unisex facilities and separate locker rooms for men, women and transgender people. People would then be free to select the facility that best suits their needs. Moreover, single-stall unisex facilities without any gender label at all might be a better solution because it removes all labeling.
• Privacy cubicles: Adding privacy cubicles to larger existing locker rooms can make them more comfortable for people who want to change or take a private shower.
• Clear signage and communication: Signage describing the locker room rules and what constitutes appropriate behavior should be prominently displayed in gyms. Staff members should also receive training so they can address any problems that may arise. If rules signage is newly added to an existing facility, I recommend leadership be available during the rollout phase to answer the inevitable hard questions that frontline team members may struggle with.
• Respectful conduct policies: All locker rooms in gyms should have strict policies against indecent exposure, harassment and discrimination. These rules ought to be applied equitably and consistently.
It’s reasonable to worry about safety in locker rooms. Exercise facilities must implement measures to guarantee the protection of all patrons, including installing security cameras in shared spaces and offering a channel for patrons to report any mishaps — anonymously, if desired.
Certain transgender individuals might feel uneasy utilizing a locker room that matches their gender identity because of worries about safety or past experiences with discrimination. Gyms ought to be open to collaborating with transgender patrons to create a solution that suits their specific requirements. This can entail giving them access to a locker room reserved for those of a different gender identity or a unisex washroom with a single stall, much like facilities have done for families to create a comfortable environment for parents, children and other members.
Creating an inclusive and safe gym for all members requires open communication and tolerance for different opinions. Gym owners, staff and customers should all be involved in the conversation about creating fair, caring and helpful locker room policies. Working together can lead to solutions that meet every gym member’s needs.
Respect amid complexity
Access to changing rooms for transgender people is a complicated issue that has generated a lot of discussion. There has yet to be any federal legislation in the United States that addresses this issue. Several states and localities have enacted legislation outlawing discrimination based on gender identification in public places, such as gyms. Nonetheless, legislation restricting transgender people’s access to locker rooms and restrooms has been passed in other states. In the upcoming years, the legal landscape will probably continue to change.
This article has focused on transgender inclusivity — and surrounding controversy — in gym locker rooms. It is crucial to remember that this topic affects many other public areas, including restrooms, swimming areas and locker rooms at companies and schools. As the rights of transgender people gain more legal attention, public spaces need to be designed to be welcoming to people of all gender identities. To achieve this, one must be dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion and be open to hearing out all parties and their specific worries. The fight for transgender rights is a complicated and dynamic topic.
Even within the transgender community, there is disagreement over the most effective means of achieving equality. While some transgender individuals emphasize safety and privacy issues, others support full access to all facilities based on their gender identity. Respecting the many viewpoints held by members of the transgender community is crucial.
I hope that this piece offers a fair and insightful summary of the locker room controversy, while also recognizing the larger background of the transgender rights movement and its significance. My advice to club owners and operators is to avoid assumptions regarding gender identity or physical characteristics. Use people’s preferred pronouns. Show respect to everyone, irrespective of their gender identification.
