A naked man allegedly abused Planet Fitness’ transgender locker room policy by parading his genitals around the women’s facilities and being inappropriate with women.
Christopher Allan Miller, 38, was arrested Thursday for entering the women’s locker room at a Planet Fitness gym in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Miller claimed to be a woman to gain access to the women’s facilities, but there is no evidence he identified as a transgender woman prior to the incident and his Planet Fitness membership lists him as male. He also has a beard.
The gym’s policy allows members to use any bathroom and locker room that aligns with the gender they identify, as part of its non-judgmental motto.
The rule that has sparked a wave of backlash against the gym and prompted customers to threaten the establishment with boycotts and a $400 million loss of value after multiple incidents in which its transgender policy was abused.
Christopher Allan Miller, 38, was arrested Thursday for entering the women’s locker room at a Planet Fitness gym in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Planet Fitness is touting its ‘judgment-free zone’ to its members – and using the motto to support transgender customers in the locker room that matches their chosen gender
Gym-goers are concerned about the policy and believe Miller abused the policy as a way to act inappropriately toward female customers. WSOC TV reported.
It is alleged that Miller was completely naked in the locker room and even asked a woman to rub lotion on him and shower together.
A concerned woman who was shocked to see a completely naked Miller in the locker room called 911 because she was so disturbed.
“It’s a man, but he says he identifies as a woman and he doesn’t want to leave the restroom,” the 911 caller told the 911 dispatcher. “But he just walks around showing us his, and he doesn’t want to leave.”
The 911 operator asked “what is he wearing,” to which the nervous customer replied, “Nothing.” Literally nothing.”
“Okay, so he’s completely naked?” said the commenter. “He’s completely naked,” the woman replied.
Miller was arrested on a charge of indecent exposure and booked into the Gaston County Jail and his bond was set at $25,000.
Betty Brice, a Planet Fitness customer, is upset that Miller claimed to identify as a woman to stay in the women’s locker room.
“I think a woman should be able to go to a woman’s restroom without a man coming in and saying he’s transgender,” Brice said.
Clark Simon, a transgender advocate, says the policy creates a sense of “safety, security and affirmation” for trans athletes.
He says it’s no excuse for someone who isn’t transgender to violate that space and that Planet Fitness should have control over that.
Planet Fitness has been hit with a wave of complaints over its rules for transgender people using female locker rooms and bathrooms.
At least 28 Planet Fitness locations were targeted with bomb threats after the gym franchise made waves for banning a customer who shared a photo of a transgender woman shaving in the bathroom.
From Florida to Alabama, dozens of locations in eleven different states have reported hoax bomb threats after weeks of backlash against the chain’s “trans-inclusive” locker room policy and decision to ban the member, as reported by Media matters.
Patricia Silva, 67, made headlines in March after she claimed she saw a “man with a penis” washing in front of a 12-year-old girl in the women’s locker room.
Planet Fitness has been hit with a wave of complaints over its rules for transgender people using female locker rooms and bathrooms
Patricia Silva was banned from Planet Fitness after sharing a photo of ‘a man with a penis’ using the female locker room to shave
Silva was banned from the Alaska gym and the gym franchise refused to reverse its decision, despite its valuation falling by $400 million in five days after the incident.
No bombs were found in any of the facilities, but the threats forced dozens of businesses to evacuate their buildings and prompted FBI agents to launch an investigation.
The first location targeted in the series of incidents was Fairbanks, Alaska, where Silva was exercising and claimed to have seen “a man shaving in the ladies’ room.”
Silva posted a video on Facebook in early March detailing her experience at the gym and shared a photo of the person online.
On March 13, Planet Fitness revoked Silva’s membership and filed a citation against her, citing her violation of gym policy by taking photos and/or videos in the locker room.
Planet Fitness’s value plummeted by $400 million in five days after they banned Silva when she shared the photo of a “trans woman” in a female locker room.
The company’s value fell from $5.3 billion on March 14 to $4.9 billion on March 19, and its shares are down 13.59 percent from a month ago.