By Daniel Walker | March 29, 2024

Banned from Planet Fitness

Patricia Silva is determined to continue advocating for women's rights even after Planet Fitness canceled her membership for sharing a video criticizing a transgender woman who was discovered shaving in the women's locker room.

"I'm here for the long haul. I am going to help make a difference, however that looks," she said.

I'm not afraid

"I'm not afraid. The libs can threaten me all day long, and I just feel like I've got the armor of God on me. They cannot penetrate my soul," she continued. "They can't take my joy unless I give it to them, so that's kind of where I'm at."

Silva lost her membership

Silva lost her membership at Planet Fitness after informing staff about the transgender individual in the facility and then recording a video discussing the incident that occurred at the Fairbanks branch earlier this month.

Man in the women's bathroom

"I just came out of Planet Fitness, and there is a man shaving in the women's bathroom," she said in the first of multiple videos.

I have a voice

"I was a voice. That's all I did. I have a voice, and I always use it," she said, adding that she never thought the video to go viral, but she's "certainly glad it did."

Felt uneasy

Silva expressed her love for the trans individual, but felt uneasy about them shaving in the bathroom she used.

Widespread attention

Her video gained widespread attention on social media and within her community, garnering significant support.

Taking a stand

Since then, Silva has found herself in the public eye, receiving stares and words of gratitude from strangers for taking a stand.

5.3 billion to 4.9 billion

On social media, the account Libs of TikTok highlighted Planet Fitness's decline in value from $5.3 billion to $4.9 billion in just a few days.

Should face consequences

Some individuals suggested that the company should face consequences similar to the "Bud Light" treatment, in line with the conservative saying "go woke, go broke."

Membership canceled

Planet Fitness later called Silva to notify her that her membership had been canceled.

Personal perspective

The gym doesn't review government ID's, but allows individual's "personal perspective" to determine which bathroom is used.

Self-reported gender identity

"All members will have access to restroom and locker room facilities that correspond to their self-reported gender identity to the extent permitted by applicable law," the gym said.

Judgement Free Zone

The gym chain's chief corporate affairs officer McCall Gosselin said, "As the home of the Judgement Free Zone, Planet Fitness is committed to creating an inclusive environment."

Non-discrimination policy

"Our gender identity non-discrimination policy, states that members and guests may use the gym facilities that best align with their sincere, self-reported gender identity. The member who posted on social media violated our mobile device policy that prohibits taking photos of individuals in the locker room, which resulted in their membership being terminated," the spokesperson said.

Would never go back

Silva said she would never go back and she believes there's a simple solution to the problem.

Safe space

"It would be to create a third safe space for the transgender, non-binary… They have created this unsafe space for women," she said.

They threatened me

"I've had the far left… they threatened me, and they threatened to come to my driveway," she said. "And the truth is, we are a concealed carry permitted state [Alaska], and we know how to protect ourselves, and these people know not to cross boundaries, but they have threatened my family."

Fight like hell

Silva applauded activists like ex-NCAA athlete Riley Gaines for speaking out. "We had to fight like hell for our women's rights. We got kicked, we got beat, we got shot, we got killed, we got imprisoned, and we did not stop there. We pressed on," she said.

We're just not ready

"And, today, we're just not ready to let them go," she concluded.

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