A bathroom encounter at a California Planet Fitness ignited backlash after a gymgoer accused another member of inappropriate behavior inside the women’s bathroom.
The incident, captured in a video that went viral months after it was initially posted on social media, prompted fierce reactions about safety and boundaries inside fitness centers. It also drew renewed scrutiny to Planet Fitness after a separate violent altercation went viral last month at a Miami location.
A now-viral video brought renewed attention to a months-old incident
The resurfaced video was initially posted by Planet Fitness member Grace Hutson, who said she experienced the ordeal while using the women’s restroom at the gym’s Concord, California, location, just outside San Francisco.
Although the incident reportedly occurred last May, the clip only gained traction on social media over the weekend, according to the New York Post.
The video showed an unidentified individual inside a bathroom stall, seemingly engaged in an inappropriate act.
In a follow-up TikTok posted after the clip went viral, Hutson addressed the situation directly. She stated that the other gymgoer who was seemingly performing the disturbing act claimed to be transgender.
“At the end of the day, whether you’re transgender or not, you should not be stroking your s**t in the women’s bathroom,” she said. “Okay, that’s definitely some weirdo s**t.”
Hutson claimed she alerted front desk employees immediately, but said the gym’s staff seemed unsure how to handle the situation.
According to Hutson, her boyfriend later intervened to confront the individual directly.
The resurfaced clip reignited debates over safety in women’s spaces, and fears of being labeled transphobic
As attention around the clip grew, Hutson said she now regretted not taking further action at the time.
“I was just really uncomfortable and, honestly, I kind of just wanted to say my piece and get the f**k out of there,” she said.
“Looking back, I do have regrets, like I should have done more. I should have called the cops.”
She added that fear of being labeled transphobic influenced her decision. “I thought about it, but I was like there’s no way anything is gonna come of this. People are just gonna say I’m transphobic,” she said.
Planet Fitness did not immediately respond to media inquiries regarding the incident.
The resurfaced video drew reactions from public figures who have previously spoken out on similar issues.
Past gym confrontations resurfaced alongside Hutson’s Planet Fitness video
Grammy-nominated singer Tish Hyman shared the resurfaced clip on her Instagram page with a lengthy caption.
“When you see me speak with passion, this is why… What’s happening is wrong,” she wrote. “Women and girls deserve truth, safety, and protection, not confusion, not denial, not lies dressed up as compassion. S*x is real. Boundaries matter. Reality matters. Enough with pretending otherwise.”
“This isn’t hate. This is care. This is love. This is standing up, and I will not be silent,” Hyman wrote in her Instagram post’s caption.
Hyman’s response to the video is quite unsurprising, considering her own highly publicized confrontation last year at a Gold’s Gym location in Los Angeles.
At the time, she was removed after she challenged a transgender woman who allegedly performed explicit acts in the women’s locker room. The individual, Alexis Black, denied Hyman’s allegations.
The situation escalated after court records revealed that Black had pleaded guilty in 2022 to violently a**aulting a spouse in Ohio.
Black’s wife at the time was left with a compound fractured jaw and other serious injuries.
A separate Planet Fitness incident last month has added to the controversy
Online reactions to the resurfaced video were further fueled by a separate incident at another Planet Fitness location in Miami, Florida.
Last month, a quiet morning at a Planet Fitness in Little Havana erupted into violence when a member struck an employee in the face, breaking his nose.
Police identified the suspect as 35-year-old Kiara Bryant, who was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct.
Surveillance footage showed Bryant repeatedly attacking the employee after being asked to lower her voice.
Officers were initially dispatched following reports of a woman “running without clothing” and causing a disturbance inside the gym.
According to the arrest report, Bryant became aggressive after being told to calm down or leave.
Footage reviewed by police showed her jumping over the front desk into a restricted employee-only area several times before striking the worker with a closed fist. She was later released on a $150 bond.
Netizens shared their thoughts on the controversial resurfaced Planet Fitness video on social media
