24 Hour Fitness allows staff to wear LGBT pride, BLM logos for 'solidarity' but limits US flag
A memo released by 24 Hour Fitness that has gained national attention labels symbols affiliated with Black Lives Matter and LGBT pride as “freedom of expression” while seemingly limiting imagery of the American flag, except on certain holidays.
The May 2023 internal memo, obtained by Latinos United for Conservative Action Texas Director Carlos Turcios and also shared online the popular social media activist account Libs of TikTok, outlines how employees should “bring their full selves to work every day” and tells “team members” to dress in apparel that shows “solidarity and support” for political causes.
Employees can wear clothing with phrases and images supporting Black Lives Matter, and LGBT pride, with no apparent restriction on when those can be worn. Employees can wear symbols representing the national holiday Juneteenth on June 19. Patriotic apparel with the U.S. flag or U.S. logo appears to only be permitted “on holidays such as Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4th, Veteran’s Day, Patriots Day, etc.”
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“If other occasions come up where team members would like the opportunity for personal expression, please consult with your [general manager] and/or line manager,” the memo states.
???? EXPOSED: 24-Hour Fitness internal documents show that “Transgender members and team members may use whichever locker room they prefer.” The internal documents also show that pride and BLM expressions are allowed all year while Flag and US logos are only for certain holidays. pic.twitter.com/khg9tiih1e
— Carlos Turcios (@Carlos__Turcios) June 10, 2024
The Christian Post reached out to a local 24 Hour Fitness and the 24 Hour Fitness media communications team for a statement on the leaked memo. If one is provided, this article will be updated.
Turcios also obtained an October 2022 memo stating that trans-identified members may use the locker room or restroom "they feel is most appropriate for them." The memo also instructed employees they may not ask for ID to "make a gender determination."
"Requiring a transgender person to use a specific facility is not only a denial of equal access but also may violate the person's right to privacy," the memo states. "Transgender includes non-binary members and team members. Non-binary describes someone who does not identify exclusively as male or female. For the purposes of this policy, this is inclusive of those members and team members that identify as non-binary."
“Requiring a transgender person to use a specific facility is not only a denial of equal access but also may violate the person's right to privacy. Transgender includes non-binary members and team members. Non-binary describes someone who does not identify exclusively as male or… pic.twitter.com/AL2kISIQfp
— Carlos Turcios (@Carlos__Turcios) June 10, 2024
In recent months, there has been much attention paid to gym policies nationwide as some question allowing male trans-identified members to access women's locker rooms.
In April, Planet Fitness co-founder Michael Grondahl stated in an interview that gym franchise's policy of allowing men into women's locker rooms and alleged history of sexual abuse is "devastating" along with what the company has become.
In a late March interview with Libs of TikTok founder Chaya Raichik, Grondahl stated that the company he founded is "pretty much destroyed" in response to Planet Fitness banning a member who complained about a trans-identified biological male in the women's locker room.
The member, Patricia Silva, went viral in March after she shared her story online about Alaska Planet Fitness revoking her membership.
"Planet Fitness was like another child for me. And I put my heart and soul into building that company, and it's been pretty much destroyed in, you know, it's lost all respect within the country within the last couple of weeks," Grondahl said. "There's no common sense standing behind this."
Silva said a 12-year-old in a towel was inside the locker room while the man was inside, and the girl seemed "freaked out" over the man's presence.
"To be honest, I have a daughter, and had I been in the facility and heard what was going on, I'd want to go in there and freaking take the guy by the neck and throw him out on the parking lot," Grondahl said.
After revoking Silva's membership, reports surfaced in March that a staffer has since accompanied the man while he used the women's facilities.
Nicole VanDyke is a reporter for The Christian Post.
