A transgender man was told he could not use a swimming pool by a lifeguard unless he wore a “female one-piece swimsuit”.
Gabi Young said the incident took place in New York City on 20 August at a gym he had specifically joined for the swimming facilities.
Young, a transgender man using he/they pronouns, was wearing a blue swimming top and blue swim shorts when he was stopped by a female lifeguard as he approached the pool.
The lifeguard asked: “Excuse me, can I help you?”
“I’m going into the pool,” Young responded.
The lifeguard then allegedly told Young, “You need a bathing suit to go into the pool,” adding that it needed to be a “One piece. A female one piece.”
Young was eventually allowed to use the pool after objecting to the comments, but stated that he no longer feels comfortable in the gym because of being “judged”.
“I was embarrassed that she came up to me in front of everyone, actually in front of the people that I did the yoga classes with,” Young explained.
“I’m being policed for what I’m wearing like I’m supposed to fit into a ‘female’ box just because I have breasts. No, there are men and non-binary people with breasts. Why should I fit into a box?”
Young said that he made managers at the gym aware of the incident, though has not heard from them since being told they would discuss the matter privately with the member of staff.
“I was having panic attacks just to return to that location,” Young explained of attempting to return to the gym.
He said that he is “an emotional mess” and is demanding that Equinox, the chain of gyms he was attending, take action.
The post Lifeguard denies trans man entry to pool unless he wears ‘female swimsuit’ appeared first on GAY TIMES.
Lifeguard denies trans man entry to pool unless he wears ‘female swimsuit’
A transgender man was told he could not use a swimming pool by a lifeguard unless he wore a “female one-piece swimsuit”.
Gabi Young said the incident took place in New York City on 20 August at a gym he had specifically joined for the swimming facilities.
Young, a transgender man using he/they pronouns, was wearing a blue swimming top and blue swim shorts when he was stopped by a female lifeguard as he approached the pool.
The lifeguard asked: “Excuse me, can I help you?”
“I’m going into the pool,” Young responded.
The lifeguard then allegedly told Young, “You need a bathing suit to go into the pool,” adding that it needed to be a “One piece. A female one piece.”
Young was eventually allowed to use the pool after objecting to the comments, but stated that he no longer feels comfortable in the gym because of being “judged”.
“I was embarrassed that she came up to me in front of everyone, actually in front of the people that I did the yoga classes with,” Young explained.
“I’m being policed for what I’m wearing like I’m supposed to fit into a ‘female’ box just because I have breasts. No, there are men and non-binary people with breasts. Why should I fit into a box?”
Young said that he made managers at the gym aware of the incident, though has not heard from them since being told they would discuss the matter privately with the member of staff.
“I was having panic attacks just to return to that location,” Young explained of attempting to return to the gym.
He said that he is “an emotional mess” and is demanding that Equinox, the chain of gyms he was attending, take action.
The post Lifeguard denies trans man entry to pool unless he wears ‘female swimsuit’ appeared first on GAY TIMES.
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