Missouri AG launches investigation into gym for ‘allowing a biological male into women’s locker rooms’
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has launched an investigation into Life Time Fitness in Ellisville after constituents notified him that the gym has actively allowed a biological male to use women and girls’ private spaces.
Bailey says he immediately put the gym on notice that they face both potential criminal and civil liability for putting women and girls in harm’s way.
In the notice of investigation, Attorney General Bailey wrote, “It has come to my attention that Life Time Fitness has proudly adopted a policy that permits biological men to use locker rooms designated specifically for women and young girls. Even more concerning is the fact that instead of taking the safety concerns from your gym members seriously, you rudely correct them and insist they call this biological male by the ‘correct pronouns.’ While it might be considered fashionable in certain corporate boardrooms to pretend that biology is irrelevant, the American heartland still lives in reality. Missourians recognize that allowing adult men to openly invade and disrobe in spaces set aside for women and young girls is indefensible and places political correctness above public safety. That is why I am putting you on notice that you are under investigation.”
Attorney General Bailey promised, “As Attorney General, I will vigorously defend and enforce Missouri’s laws. You face both potential criminal and civil liabilities, and you can expect to receive civil investigative demands from my office in short order. If you insist on endangering women and young girls in our state, in open defiance of the law, be assured you will face the consequences.”
The Associated Press reports the individual joined the gym Sunday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
By Friday morning, a Republican state lawmaker had held a news conference outside the gym, and protesters gathered to criticize the fitness center, according to the newspaper.
“I have been contacted by a lot of people,” Rep. Justin Sparks told The Associated Press on Friday. He held the news conference but said he did not organize protesters. Sparks represents a House district neighboring the gym.
Life Time spokesperson Natalie Bushaw said the woman showed staff a copy of her driver’s license, which identified her as female.
AP requests for comment via Facebook to the gym member were not immediately returned Friday. She told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that a women approached her in the sauna Monday and said she was a man and that she did not belong there.
“The Missouri Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex,” Bushaw said in a statement. “Therefore, the member is to use Life Time’s women’s locker room.”
Ellisville police Capt. Andy Vaughn said the agency on Friday received a report of alleged indecent exposure at the gym that is being investigated. No charges have been filed.
Missouri has not enacted a law dictating transgender people’s access to public restrooms, and the state’s attorney general has limited authority to press criminal charges. That is typically left to local prosecutors.