Planet Fitness

Members of Planet Fitness, 4572 State in Green Acres Plaza, Saginaw Township, work out during lunch break on Tuesday, Jan 8, 2013.

(Jeff Schrier | MLive.com)

MIDLAND, MI -- The decision by a local Planet Fitness to revoke a woman's gym membership after she refused to stop telling other members "a man" was using the women's locker room has sparked debate over transgender rights in Michigan.

State Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Larkin Township, called the company's stance an "in-your-face policy" that threatens the safety of its female customers.

"Planet Fitness obviously should rethink its anti-woman, anti-reality policy," Glenn said. "If they don't, they shouldn't be surprised in a conservative family-friendly community such as Midland if they lose more female members."

Yvette Cormier said she entered the women's locker room at the Midland Planet Fitness location Saturday, Feb. 28, and saw a man standing inside.

"It freaked me out because, why is a man in here?" Cormier asked.

Related: Planet Fitness cancels woman's membership after her complaints of transgender woman in locker room

She said an employee told her that individual identifies as a woman.

A statement released by McCall Gosselin, public relations director for Planet Fitness, states that members can use the locker room corresponding with their personal gender identity.

After taking her complaints to Planet Fitness' corporate office and returning to the Midland location to tell other women in the locker room about her experience, she was told by the company that she was violating its "no judgement" policy. After she refused to drop the issue, her membership was canceled.

Cormier said she disagrees with the company's decision, saying she sees irony in the situation as it relates to Planet Fitness' popular slogan.

"They're judging you for complaining about it," she said.

Cormier said she sees it as a safety issue for all of Planet Fitness' female members.

"You are not protecting me," she said of the gym's policy.

Cormier said she has reached out to several local politicians for help addressing her concerns.

Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Larkin Township

Midland's representative in the Michigan House of Representatives is Glenn.

Glenn has been a vocal opponent of efforts to pass LGBT non-discrimination laws and serves as president of the American Family Association of Michigan.

He predicted that Planet Fitness' decision to cancel Cormier's membership will backfire on the company.

"My wife has been a member at the Planet Fitness in Midland," Glenn said. "As she characterized the situation, Planet Fitness has made clear it does not offer a family friendly environment, and she said she will not be going back, and I imagine they'll lose other customers as well."

He said Planet Fitness should give clear advance notice of the policy regarding transgender members to all female members, saying the policy "violates the privacy, comfort and peace of mind of women."

Several people have suggested the ideal solution is to create a third bathroom

"Either post it, tell me or put a unisex bathroom in," Cormier said.

The Midland Planet Fitness has private bathroom stalls and changing stalls in its women's locker room.

Charin Davenport, a local transgender advocate and transgender woman, said the decision of what bathroom or locker room to use should be up to each individual.

"I don't think anyone should require me to use it," Davenport said. "I use the facility that I am comfortable with."

Davenport said the real threat is to the safety of the transgender woman.

Related: Transgender advocate says Planet Fitness locker room controversy is a matter of privacy, safety

Jay Kaplan, attorney with the ACLU of Michigan's LGBT Project, agreed.

"A transgender woman would be much more at risk for her safety if she had to use the men's bathroom," Kaplan said.

In response to inquiries about the incident, Planet Fitness Spokesperson McCall Gosselin released a statement clarifying the company's policy, though it does not go into details of the situation in Midland.

Here is that statement, in full:

"Planet Fitness is committed to creating a non-intimidating, welcoming environment for our members. Our gender identity non-discrimination policy states that members and guests may use all gym facilities based on their sincere self-reported gender identity. The manner in which this member expressed her concerns about the policy exhibited behavior that management at the Midland club deemed inappropriate and disruptive to other members, which is a violation of the membership agreement and as a result her membership was cancelled."

According to Alison Gill, senior legislative council for the Human Rights Campaign, the gym is within its rights to create a policy that welcomes members to use the locker room corresponding with their gender identity.

Mark Tower covers local government for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-284-4807, by email at mtower@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.