Believers are likely becoming used to criticism when it comes to them praying in public or even having the audacity to read or display their Bible or share their faith. However, there are some locations and situations in which they don’t have to worry about being “attacked” or “challenged” due to their beliefs about various issues. The gym is just such a place. However, at least for one woman– who prefers to remain anonymous– this has proven to be false.
Recently the victim, who will be referred to in this piece as Mrs. H, visited her local Planet Fitness gym where she enjoyed a good workout. After working up a good sweat, she made her way to the ladies locker room to change clothes. However, she stopped short when she realized a man was inside applying make-up near her locker. She didn’t feel comfortable changing in front of the young man. This prompted her to find out why he was inside the ladies locker room, instead of the men’s. She asked the young man if he had mistakenly entered into the ladies room and reminded him that there was a men’s locker room available. He didn’t respond to her.
Mrs. H was very uncomfortable changing with a man mere feet from her locker. She left the locker room, remaining in her sweaty clothing, and explained the situation to a Planet Fitness manager. Instead of the helping hand she was hoping for, she was told that the man in question “identified as a woman” and per Planet Finesses policy, he was “allowed to use the ladies’ locker room.” Mrs. H explained that she was uncomfortable changing with him inside the locker room. However, this didn’t seem to matter as she was told by the manager that she would just have to wait for him to leave if that was the case.
The man was in no hurry, apparently, because he allegedly was in the ladies locker room for over an hour longer, while Mrs. H patiently waited for him to leave so she could change. She finally reentered the locker room and asked him “how long will you be here?” to which he gave no answer. It seems obvious this man was using his “rights” per Planet Fitness as a way to exert power in the situation.
Mrs. H even took the time to explain to the man using the ladies locker room that it wasn’t just him she had an issue with. She explained that she also wouldn’t change in front of her sons. She wasn’t comfortable changing in front of any man at all. This explanation meant to communicate Mrs. H’s reasoning for wanting the man to leave only made things worse. It was after this explanation that a female employee of Planet Fitness told her she needed to leave. Mrs. H finally decided to do just that. However, the man who started the whole mess was now claiming Mrs. H had sexually harassed him, and he had called 911. At the time, he was on the phone with the 911 operator, giving a description of Mrs. H, chasing her out of the gym.
Planet Fitness sent Mrs. H a letter revoking her membership and banning her from 66 Planet Fitness branches. Her transgression was apparently the fact that she was “lunking” — a term used by Planet Fitness referring to passing judgement. In other words, she was kicked out of Planet Fitness for judging the man who was hanging out in the ladies dressing room making her uncomfortable.
In this particular case, the rights of the victim were minimized, while the rights of the man who identified as a woman were protected. The policy of Planet Fitness was written in such a way that men who identify as women are allowed to use the women’s facilities, like dressing and locker rooms. However, women’s rights who might be uncomfortable with this set up are not considered or visa verse with a woman in a the men’s locker room.
This is just one example of the many cases where traditional views on sexual identity are going to clash mightily with those of believers’. Unfortunately, society seems more willing to honor the rights of those who are to the left of center than those who believe in God’s definition of a man and woman’s sexual identity.
~ 1776 Christian
