A Life Time Fitness location in St. Louis may face both civil and criminal repercussions after allegedly implementing a policy that permits transgender women to access female locker rooms, as announced by the state’s attorney general on Friday.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey conveyed to the CEO of Life Time Fitness in correspondence that while the notion of allowing biological males the freedom to choose any restroom may be prevalent in corporate guidelines, it will not be accepted within his jurisdiction.
“Although it may be seen as trendy in certain corporate environments to disregard biological facts, the reality of life in the American heartland remains unchanged,” he stated. “Residents of Missouri understand that permitting adult men to enter and disrobe in spaces reserved for women and young girls is unacceptable and prioritizes political correctness over public safety.”
The inquiry was initiated following an event where a 52-year-old transgender woman entered the women’s locker room, triggering outrage among some patrons of Life Time. Some staff members urged customers to use specific language when referring to the transgender individual.
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Life Time Fitness gym under scrutiny amid Missouri Attorney General investigation. (Fox News Digital)
“Even more alarming is the fact that instead of addressing the safety concerns of your gym members, you dismissively correct them and insist they refer to this biological male by the ‘appropriate pronouns,’” Bailey claimed.
He indicated that he was pursuing criminal charges under various statutes following numerous complaints from constituents, alleging that “the gym has knowingly allowed a biological male to intrude into women and girls’ private spaces.”
The Missouri AG referred to a statute regarding “Trespass in the first degree,” asserting that he had established a precedent indicating that a biological male entering a female-designated area constitutes a violation of the law.
“[T]he Court affirmed that a male present in a female public restroom constitutes criminal trespass,” he stated. “When restrooms are designated for males and females, each individual can only utilize the restroom aligned with their gender.”
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Furthermore, Bailey contended that—more broadly—a biological male exposing themselves within female-only spaces “may be liable for various sexual offenses, including first-degree sexual misconduct and the felony of sexual misconduct involving a child.”
The policies at Life Time gym may facilitate potentially criminal activities, and I want to assure you that it will not continue during my administration,” the AG cautioned in a letter. (Adobe Stock)
In his letter, the Attorney General warned, “The policies at Life Time gym are enabling potentially criminal behavior, and I want to assure you that it will not continue under my authority. If you persist in endangering women and young girls in our state, openly defying the law, be assured that you will face repercussions.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Life Time Fitness for a response but did not receive an immediate reply.
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The company had previously stated that it was adhering to existing state regulations.
Female athlete preparing for a workout in a gym locker room. (Adobe Stock)
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“At Life Time, we acknowledge that opinions vary regarding locker room access. As an organization, we are dedicated to adhering to the law in every area we operate concerning public accommodation. When members join Life Time, we verify state-issued IDs to confirm their identity. The State of Missouri has a procedure for individuals to update their gender designation on their state-issued driver’s licenses,” the company stated.
“In this case, the member presented a driver’s license issued by the state identifying them as female, and according to Missouri laws, we cannot deny or discriminate based on sex. Hence, the member is permitted to use Life Time’s women’s locker room.”
