New Hampshire woman says Planet Fitness canceled her membership after she reported man in locker room
A New Hampshire woman says Planet Fitness canceled her membership after she complained about seeing a man in the women’s locker room last month.
Judy Walcott, a longtime member of a Planet Fitness location in Concord, New Hampshire, told Fox News Digital she felt unsafe after encountering someone she believed was male in the women’s locker room near the shower area on April 11.
"I was shaking. Like I was actually trembling because it freaked me out that bad," she told Fox News Digital.
Walcott said she reported the incident to a young employee at the front desk, who told her there was nothing staff could do because it was company policy. She claims the employee did not check the locker room while she was present.
She said she raised the issue again, four days later, with another staff member because she had safety concerns, but she said the employee called her "transphobic" instead of looking into her claims.
"She showed concern until I started telling her that there was a creepy guy in the ladies' shower on Saturday, nobody checked him out... then before I could say anything else, she interrupted me, telling me she ‘thought’ she knew who I meant and what a wonderful woman that is," Walcott told Fox News Digital.
She said the conversation went downhill from there, alleging the staff member did not address her concerns and instead "repeatedly" called her "transphobic" before she decided to walk away.
A couple of hours later, Walcott said, the gym's manager called her to tell her that her membership had been canceled for a "policy violation."
"So I asked her what policy did I violate? I didn't violate a policy, I asked about one. She didn't answer me," Walcott said.
Walcott said she later checked her account online and saw that she had been charged for another month. She also said she found a "Member cancellation or freeze form" in her account that requested cancellation, dated April 15.
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A copy of that document, which Fox News Digital cannot authenticate, shows an April 15 cancellation request with a request effective date of May 16. In the comment field, the form says, "Nondiscrimination Trans."
Walcott alleged the cancellation form was submitted without her authorization and said she believes her signature was forged.
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Walcott said that after seeing she had been charged for an additional month in the days following this incident, she returned to the gym on April 17 to use the remainder of her membership. She said the manager again told her the membership had been canceled, and the two argued over whether she was owed a refund.
Walcott claims the manager told her she was "not getting a refund" before calling the police.
When officers with the Concord Police Department arrived, Walcott was given a warning not to trespass on the property.
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"So she takes a form, signs my name, charges me money, extends my membership, and then calls the cops on me. Like, what the hell? I feel like I live in an upside-down land," Walcott said.
A copy of the document, labeled "order to stay off property" and reviewed by Fox News Digital, appears to show an officer’s signature, the gym location and an April 17 date.
Concord Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that Walcott "was formally trespassed from Planet Fitness, 89 Fort Eddy Rd" on April 17.
Walcott said that a few days before the incident she had emailed Planet Fitness headquarters asking about its transgender policy but said she received no response.
She has since reached out to the New Hampshire Attorney General's office to report the incident and intends to file a consumer complaint.
Walcott says she's speaking out because she believes the Planet Fitness policy is unfair to women.
"What does it take? Are we being sacrificed in the name of inclusion?" she asked.
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Planet Fitness says on its website that members who identify as transgender "may use Planet Fitness locker room facilities, bathrooms, showers, and all other facilities/programs separated by sex based on their self-reported gender identity; these facilities include bathrooms, showers, and all other facilities separated by sex. Wherever possible, Planet Fitness clubs should maintain private changing areas in each locker room for the comfort of all members and team members."
The company also says it aims to provide an "inclusive gym environment" where members feel they belong.
Planet Fitness corporate headquarters did not respond to multiple phone calls and emails from Fox News Digital requesting comment.