Planet Fitness might get the Bud Light treatment after a controversy stemming from its decision to ban a woman’s membership for confronting a biological male in the women’s locker room.
The incident sparked a huge backlash on social media that has not shown any signs of dying down anytime soon.
The original incident involved a woman named Patricia Silva, who took a picture of a biological male shaving in the women’s locker room. She shared the image on social media, telling her followers about the intrusion.
The incident occurred at the Fairbanks, Alaska, location. A woman recorded herself speaking about the ordeal when she said a person identifying as "queer LBG" was shaving in the female locker room.
Planet Fitness confirmed to Fox News Digital that the woman violated policy regarding taking photos and/or videos in the locker room, resulting in the loss of her membership.
"As the home of the Judgement Free Zone, Planet Fitness is committed to creating an inclusive environment," Planet Fitness chief corporate affairs officer McCall Gosselin said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The statement continued:
"Our gender identity non-discrimination policy, states that members and guests may use the gym facilities that best align with their sincere, self-reported gender identity. The member who posted on social media violated our mobile device policy that prohibits taking photos of individuals in the locker room, which resulted in their membership being terminated."
In one of the videos she posted on the incident, Silva explained what happened in the locker room.
Silva said she went to the gym on Monday and saw "a man with a penis" shaving in the women's locker room.
"I just came out of Planet Fitness, and there is a man shaving in the women's bathroom," she said in the first of several videos she posted about the incident. "I realize he wants to be a woman; he gets to be a woman. I love him in Christ, he's a spiritual being having a human experience. He doesn't like his gender, so he wants to be a woman. But I'm not comfortable with him shaving in my bathroom
The incident has triggered discussion on social media, with some on the right calling for boycotts against the company.
Everyone should be cancelling their memberships to Planet Fitness over this. Stand up for women. RT if you agree. https://t.co/surMMdAgIR
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) March 16, 2024
If you drop the weights at planet fitness then you’re harassing people. (I low key agree with banning that nonsense.) Showing a penis in a womens locker room is perfectly acceptable to planet fitness tho. https://t.co/27W0L3regV
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) March 15, 2024
So @PlanetFitness banned a woman because she took a photo of this “tr&ns woman” in the female changing rooms.
— Hazel Appleyard (@HazelAppleyard_) March 16, 2024
I’m far from the only person tweeting about this, but I want to contribute to the people letting Planet Fitness know we won’t tolerate this anymore.
Make him famous ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/E0yxxFlbEJ
This is not the first time Planet Fitness has been at the center of controversy related to gender ideology. In September 2023, a biological male exposed himself to a 15-year-old child at one of the company’s Georgia locations and explained that he had done it plenty of other times.
Planet Fitness’ “non-discrimination” policy is getting the company into trouble – as it should. The fact that the company is allowing biological males to occupy women’s spaces is another example of corporations kowtowing to progressive ideology. Its leadership believes placing women and even children in the position of having men who claim or believe they are women invading their areas is entirely acceptable because of some warped understanding of inclusivity.
It is not clear whether a mass boycott would have the same effect as it did with Bud Light. But those who value common sense and desire to protect women should give it a shot. Planet Fitness has a right to align with progressive ideology. But its customers also have a right not to associate with a company that values the ideology over women’s safety.
