A woman who was banned from Planet Fitness for speaking out about a transgender member at the gym using the women’s locker room said she was “not afraid” to address the issue.
Patricia Silva of Alaska had her membership revoked at the gym after she complained about a biological man who identified as a woman being granted access to the women’s locker room. She posted a video detailing her story on Facebook that went viral and purportedly led the company’s stock to fall.
“I’m here for the long haul,” she told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “I am going to help make a difference, however that looks.”
Silva said she notified several employees at the gym about the transgender member. They allegedly responded by revoking her membership. However, she said the public backlash from the incident does not scare her.
“I’m not afraid. The libs can threaten me all day long, and I just feel like I’ve got the armor of God on me. They cannot penetrate my soul. They can’t take my joy unless I give it to them, so that’s kind of where I’m at,” she told Fox News Digital.
Silva noted she still “loves” the transgender individual at the gym, who she described as a “spiritual being having a human experience.” However, she said the discomfort of a biological man in the women’s locker room meant she had to speak out.
“I was a voice. That’s all I did. I have a voice, and I always use it,” she said.
Other members of the gym were made uncomfortable by the transgender person, Silva claimed. She said she reported the incident to police, and no action was taken. The gym, she said, defended the transgender member’s “personal perspective” on gender.
The company’s policies appear to back the particular gym’s decision.
“Planet Fitness prohibits discrimination and harassment that is based on gender identity or gender expression in the workplace and in our clubs,” the company website states before it defines different terms regarding gender identity, such as transgender and nonbinary.
“All members, including transgender members, may use Planet Fitness® locker room facilities, bathrooms, showers, and all other facilities/programs separated by sex based on their self-reported gender identity,” the policy continues.
McCall Gosselin, Planet Fitness’ chief corporate affairs officer, told Fox News Digital the gym was “committed to creating an inclusive environment.”
“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,” he said in a statement to the outlet. “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.”
Silva suggested the gym should create separate bathrooms for transgender members.
“It would be to create a third safe space for the transgender, non-binary,” she told Fox News Digital. “They have created this unsafe space for women.”