A mum of two had her gym membership axed over a photo she took in the changing rooms. Stephanie Harrison, 31, was asked to leave CrossFit Death or Glory earlier this month. An owner got in touch after the mum-of-two posted an image in workout gear on her Instagram, which has a link to her OnlyFans. WhatsApp messages show the owners did want any connection to the adult subscription site, so took action.
But Stephanie alleges she has been discriminated against over her job and is not happy. She claimed: "I’m honestly stunned and absolutely disgusted. This is utter discrimination. I'm sorry I'm not a doctor or a lawyer and they don't think my money's clean enough for them."
Stephanie, who has two daughters, says she took up a £79 rolling monthly membership with Crossfit Death or Glory at the start of February. She then posted a picture in a sports bra and leggings on a backup Instagram account for her work and a personal account following a class on February 21. She added the hashtag #crossfit.
Stephanie has links to other social media, her OnlyFans and her AdmireMeVIP on the account. The mum then got a WhatsApp from one of the owners later that day asking her to leave the gym. The message said it was because pictures posted on her OnlyFans page had been taken in the gym. She replied to the gym owner's WhatsApp message asking to see proof, to which she was sent a screenshot of photos on her backup Instagram account.
Stephanie then denies the OnlyFans accusation via message, arguing that she only posted a photo in workout clothing on Instagram with the hashtag #crossfit. More back and forth continues on WhatsApp, with the gym owner arguing there is a link between Stephanie's Instagram account and her OnlyFans page. The conversation appears to end when Stephanie asks for the termination in writing blocks the gym owner.
Reliving the incident, Stephanie said: "CrossFit gyms are supposed to be a community - my job shouldn't be questioned. There wasn't even any link to the gym at all in that picture, and I don’t mention them in my stories. You can't tell from the picture where it was taken. I used the CrossFit hashtag, but that isn't naming the gym.
"This was totally unexpected. It's not like it was nude - I was in a sports bra. There's nothing in the gym to say, 'No photography'. I'm being victimised. I deal with a lot of hate in my work. The stigma is still there, and for a reputable gym to do this is not on at all.
“You also do not cancel someone's membership by WhatsApp."
Stephanie claims she been a member of CrossFit gyms since 2019 and has posted pictures before. But she says has never had a complaint about her type of employment. The first WhatsApp message from the owner said: “Afternoon Stephanie, it has been brought to our attention that you are running an Only Fans page and that pictures on the page have been taken in the gym.
“What you do in your own time is completely up to you, however we as a business want absolutely no link to something like this. We therefore respectfully request for you to leave the gym with immediate effect. We will cancel your membership and refund you the week that remains on the month you have paid for.
“We hope you understand and wish you luck in the future."
And a later message read: “It isn’t a personal attack on you or your profession, it’s a decision we are making based on not wanting people seeing those images and linking the gym or us to it. Regardless of whether you agree with it or not, we reserve the right to decide who trains here and to protect our reputation.”
The owners of CrossFit Death or Glory did not respond to a request for comment.
