UPDATE: My original review for the YMCA started off really well, & i was happy with the fact that i was treated like an other woman. Well that changed really fast after i left my first review.
When i left my first review i was contacted by the YMCA and asked to submit my information so they could talk to me about my review being positive or so i thought....
That wasn't the case, the CEO Sid Collins sent me an email asking if we could have a conversation over phone & what would be a good time to contact him, Still unaware that i had done something wrong i responded with my number & waited for the call.
When i got the call the CEO Sid Collins introduced himself & told me that he wanted to discuss my review & that because i was TRANS would like to discuss my options of locker room use.
He proceeded to tell me that it was their policy that trans people use the all gender locker room. instead of the womens changing room because i was trans. We had a brief conversation & when the call ended i decided to reply to the original email to clear things up & to let Mr. Collins know that ive never had this issue elsewhere. I explained to Mr. Collins that i was by all LEGAL accounts & physically a female, My birth certificate, medical record's, license etc. all reflected this as well as i no longer had male parts & that i had not only legally Transitioned but Physically as well. I do not appear to be male. Mr. Collins proceeded to ask me for documentation showing that i had in fact medically and surgically transitioned.
At first i was taken aback by this but didn't really want to stir the pot & I wanted a resolve to this quickly as i was now extremely uncomfortable. I provided said documentation & explained to him that he wouldn't ask any other woman to prove she was a woman even if she appeared masculine or maybe even suffers from PCOS & has facial hair. Women come in all shapes, sizes & some appear very masculine even though they were biologically born that way. The point is there shouldn't be a scale or a judge to decide who looks woman enough for him.
When he asked for the documentation he asked for proof that top & bottom surgery had occurred & that generally women who can prove themselves to him are allowed to use the locker rooms without issue. I reluctantly provided the documentation & explained that i didn't need top surgery as i had naturally grown mine & therefore no surgical verification existed. I also sent along a picture showing that i appear as a woman.
After providing such paperwork & feeling humiliated & violated it didn't stop there, he replied to my email telling me that even though i had provided such paperwork that he wanted to have a sit down with me to discuss further needs & as he said "to discuss someone's unique situation and needs" after originally stating that after providing proof and feeling violated that it generally is their policy to allow someone to use the locker room they are comfortable in.
So at this point i felt no further need to have a sit down with Mr. Collins as i had provided the information he asked for even though i NEVER should have been asked for anything other than a birth certificate to verify i was in fact a female. By asking for such information not only is it humiliating & violating to discuss my medical history with a complete stranger it but i felt degraded & uncomfortable around the YMCA and never went back out of fear that my account was marked or that i would be harassed by Mr. Collins before i was allowed to work out & use the facilities that we all pay for. So after my initial visit where i felt comfortable and had toured the facilities & the locker room etc. i never returned because i wouldn't feel welcomed or comfortable while i was there.
We canceled our membership after 5 months and 1 visit. If you don't fit their cookie cutter of woman i hope ur never asked for any documentation. Ill be filing suit & contacting the ACLU. Ive posted my story on Tiktok & its going on every platform im on. its 2025 Discrimination shouldn't be tolerated or allowed!! read more