ELLISVILLE — An Ellisville fitness center has revoked the membership of a transgender woman who came under fire from some gym members and Republican lawmakers for using a women’s locker room. The gym cited unspecified online posts the woman made that were deemed threatening.
The controversy, which sparked an investigation from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, was followed on Monday by a decision by the state Department of Revenue to tighten rules on how it assigns gender on driver licenses held by transgender residents.
As of Friday, Missourians will need to attach a court order or medical proof of a full transition to change their listed gender on their driver’s licenses, the department confirmed on Monday. The department did not respond when asked if the policy change was in response to the Ellisville gym controversy.
Eris Montano, 52, of Chesterfield, was escorted out of the Life Time gym on Monday after spending the morning using the sauna and sunbathing. Gym staff called her into the administrator’s office and showed her multiple screenshots of social media posts Montano had made over the past several days that some members believed included threats of violence.
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“Providing safe, secure environments is paramount for our team members, members and guests. Life Time will continue to operate our clubs in a safe and secure manner while also following the Missouri laws in place to protect and the human rights of individuals,†gym spokesperson Natalie Bushaw said in a statement to the Post-Dispatch on Monday afternoon.
Bushaw did not say which of Montano’s social media posts members considered threatening. It is unclear if Montano will ever be eligible to rejoin the gym.
The Ellisville Police Department was on hand for the meeting between Montano and gym administrators, according to Ellisville Capt. Andy Vaughn.
“We stood by to keep the peace as she was notified of her membership being terminated,†Vaughn said. He said Montano was not arrested at the scene despite some claims on social media.
Montano denies that her social media posts were threatening and said she had been to the gym throughout the weekend without incident.
“At no point was I feeling violent toward myself or to others,†Montano said while choking back tears. “I don’t understand why this is happening. I can’t think of anything right now. It feels like a tornado has been whirling around me all this week, and that was a place where I could go to get away from it. And now that’s gone.â€
Montano’s use of the gym prompted complaints from some members, who contacted Rep. Justin Sparks, R-Wildwood. Sparks held a news conference outside the gym on Friday that drew in roughly a hundred protesters and counter-protesters.
On Monday, Sparks said he had mixed feelings when he learned Montano’s membership was revoked.
“I think it is a good thing that a biological male is not going to be in the showers next to biological girls and women,†Sparks said. “It is an unfortunate situation because I didn’t have one person reach out to me who had a problem with this individual working out and using the gym. They just cared about the bathrooms within the locker room.â€
It is unclear how Montano’s membership being revoked will impact Bailey’s investigation into the Minnesota-based fitness center. On Friday, Bailey launched an inquiry into the fitness center over its policies about locker room access for transgender gym members. Bailey said that he believes Montano’s presence in the women’s locker room likely “constitutes criminal trespass†or “multiple sexual offenses.â€
“Your policies are enabling potentially criminal behavior, and I am writing to assure you that it will not continue on my watch,†Bailey said . Bailey’s office did not respond to the Post-Dispatch’s request for comment on Monday.
The gym has said that Montano’s use of the women’s locker room complied with company policies because she was listed as a female on her driver’s license.
According to Bushaw, Montano’s membership being terminated has “absolutely nothing†to do with Bailey’s investigation or the protests from gym goers.
“These are two separate issues,†Bushaw said. “If any person provides any type of similar posts that contain threats of violence then the exact same action would be taken.â€