A national chain of budget gyms is being hailed as an LGBT ally after one of its fitness centers took a stand against transgender intolerance.
Planet Fitness in Midland, Michigan, revoked Yvette Cormier’s membership after she filed a complaint about a transgender woman using the women’s locker room. “He totally looked like a man. He was not dressed like a woman at all,” Cormier told local news station WNEM. “They told me the same thing, that he was allowed in there because that’s the sex he wants to be.”
Representatives of the gym say the way in which Cormier complained was disruptive and violated the membership agreement, which includes a gender identity nondiscrimination clause. “Planet Fitness is committed to creating a non-intimidating, welcoming environment for our members,” McCall Gosselin, director of public relations at Planet Fitness Corporate, said in a statement. “Our gender identity non-discrimination policy states that members and guests may use all gym facilities based on self-reported gender identity.”
The policy was defended by members of the Human Rights Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan’s LGBT Project.
Founded in 1992, Planet Fitness aims to be a gym where members of all shapes, sizes, and genders can work out, sans pressure or intimidation. Its low membership fees attract a sizable membership, and its antidiscriminatory policies will likely keep those members coming back.
In other news…
Obama Encourages Transparency: On Saturday, President Obama said he was glad that Hillary Clinton asked to release certain emails from her tenure as secretary of state. “The policy of my administration is to encourage transparency, which is why my emails, the BlackBerry I carry around, all those records are available and archived,” Obama said. (via CBS News)
Teenager Was Unarmed When Killed by Police: Tony Robinson, the black teenager whose death spurred protests in Madison, Wisconsin, over the weekend, was unarmed when police opened fire. (via CNN)
Selma Commemoration Continues: The 50th anniversary commemoration of Bloody Sunday continued in Selma, Alabama. (via The Associated Press)
Peace Corps Suspends Program: The U.S. Peace Corps is temporarily suspending its program in Jordan due to the country’s “regional environment,” including its battle against Islamic State militants. ISIS controls large parts of Jordan’s neighboring countries, including Syria and Iraq. All 37 Peace Corps volunteers working in Jordan have since left the country temporarily. (via The Associated Press)
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