At least 28 Planet Fitness locations have been targeted with bomb threats after the gym franchise sparked fury for banning a customer who shared a photo of a transgender woman shaving in the bathroom.
From Florida to Alabama, dozens of locations in eleven different states reported hoax bomb threats following weeks of backlash against the chain’s ‘trans-inclusive’ locker room policy and the decision to ban the member, as reported by Media Matters.
Patricia Silva, 67, made headlines in March after she claimed to see a ‘man with a penis’ washing themselves in front of a 12-year-old girl in the women’s locker room.
Silva was barred from the gym in Alaska, and the gym franchise refused to reverse its decision despite its valuation plummeting by $400 million in five days after the incident.
No bombs were found in any of the facilities, but the threats forced dozens of businesses to evacuate their buildings and prompted FBI agents to launch an investigation.
At least 28 Planet Fitness locations have been targeted with bomb threats after the gym franchise sparked fury for banning a customer who shared a photo of a transgender woman shaving in the bathroom. Pictured: one location targeted by bomb threats in Jackson, Mississippi
Patricia Silva was banned from Planet Fitness after she shared a photo of ‘a man with a penis’ who was using the female locker room to shave
The first location targeted in the string of incidents was in Fairbanks, Alaska, where Silva used to work out and claimed to have seen ‘a man shaving in the women’s bathroom.’
Silva posted a video describing her experience at the gym on Facebook in early March, along sharing a photo of the person online.
On March 13, Planet Fitness revoked Silva’s membership and filed a police report against her, citing her violation of gym policy by taking photos and/or videos in the locker room.
An email sent on March 15 states that bombs had been placed inside the Planet Fitness location at 1255 Airport Way, and threatens to ‘blow up the building’, according to local outlet KTVF.
Fairbanks Police Department found no bombs inside the property and said the threat was ‘bogus’.
Since the X account Libs of TikTok reposted Silva’s video and Planet Fitness’ statement, more locations across the country have reported being targeted by bomb threats.
Planet Fitness in Fairbanks, Alaska touts its ‘judgement free zone’ to its members – but cancelled Silva’s membership after she complained about the incident
Planet Fitness’ policy stated that ‘discomfort is not a reason to deny access to the transgender member’
At least four locations in Providence, Rhode Island, four in Mississippi, three in Connecticut, six in Michigan, have reported receiving bomb threats.
Similar incidents were also reported at three Planet Fitness locations in Alabama, three in Florida, one in Virginia, one in Maryland, and one in Kansas.
Local police stations and the FBI have started investigating the threats, with more social media users joining the boycott against the gym franchise.
In the viral video, Silva said she had just finished working out at Planet Fitness’ Fairbanks location, when she saw the person, whom she called ‘a man with a penis,’ carrying out his routine in front of a 12-year-old girl.
Silva, who has previously run for Fairbanks Borough Assembly, told the ‘trans woman’ they should really be using the male locker room. The trans woman replied that they were ‘LGB.’
Silva then took a picture of the person and shared it online and recounted her experience in a Facebook video: ‘I just came out of Planet Fitness.
‘There is a man shaving in the women’s bathroom. I love him in Christ. He is a spiritual being having a human experience.
‘He doesn’t like his gender so he wants to be a woman, but I’m not comfortable with him shaving in my bathroom. I just thought I’d say it out loud.’
Silva – who has shared QAnon conspiracy theories on social media – also described the encounter in a written post online.
‘I went to planet fitness… Walked in the bathroom, and there stands a MAN shaving… I looked at him, said ‘hey’ … he looked up… and I said, ‘You are a man shaving in the women’s bathroom, and I am not OK with that.’
‘He replied… ‘Well, I’m LGB…’
‘Whatever that is… nevertheless, I told him ‘You’re a MAN and you’re invading my space!’
‘He wanted to argue to justify why he can be there… I walked away…
‘I stepped out of the locker room and loudly asked the front desk, ‘Are you aware that there is a MAN shaving in the women’s bathroom… I’m not OK with that ⁉️’ The two men standing at the desk, put their heads down, and their tails between their legs! As I was walking out the door…at my back, a woman shouts ‘it’s a girl’… I shouted back ‘it’s a man!”
‘PF cancelled my membership and allowed the pedo to stay ‼️,’ she stated.
Her actions clashed with the gym’s commitment to ‘creating an inclusive and safe environment.’
Silva of Alaska is seen in Facebook photos with her husband and daughter
The gym has defended its ‘judgement free’ inclusive policy and has banned Silva from returning to the gym, cancelling her membership
Planet Fitness’ statement shared by Libs of TikTok followed the same line. They doubled down on their decision.
In their statement, the gym said that the staff should ‘work with members and employees to address this discomfort [sharing facilities with transgender members] and to foster a climate of understanding consistent with the Judgment Free character of Planet Fitness.’
The statement continued: ‘Planet Fitness staff shall strive to address transgender members with names, titles, pronouns, and other terms consistent with their self-reported gender identity, if reasonably known to the Planet Fitness staff.’
The statement said that ‘a transgender woman shall be referred to by her preferred name and female pronouns.’
And a ‘transgender man shall be referred to by his preferred name and male pronouns.’
It concluded that the gym ‘reserves the right to terminate a person’s membership immediately for any violation of this policy.’
