http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2014/04/27/pregnant-woman-claims-gym-asked-her-to-leave-because-of-her-baby-bumpCHARLESTON, S.C. (CBS Charlotte) – A pregnant woman working out at a Planet Fitness gym claims that she was asked to leave because her “belly was hanging out.”
Melissa Mantor, who is 18 weeks pregnant, said she was mid-workout Monday evening when an employee came up to her and told her she had to leave the Sam Rittenberg gym location.
“I was on the treadmill for about 10 minutes before I was approached by a girl who came up to me telling me that she is going to have to ask me to leave,” Mantor said to WCIV. “I was very confused by this and thought I may have heard her wrong. She told me again that I am not able to continue my workout until I change my clothes because I am in violation of their dress code.”
Exposed midriffs are not mention in the Planet Fitness Corporate Dress Code that does ban “string tank tops” which Mantor was wearing at the time.
Mantor explained that she has several of the same tank top in various colors that she wears to the gym all the time and that gym staff have never had a problem with them. In her membership file, she is wearing a gray tank top for her photo taken at the gym.
“I was very confused. She continued telling that my belly was hanging out and I need to get it covered up,” Mantor explained to WCIV. “I told her at that time ‘Of course my belly is hanging out, I am pregnant.’ She handed me a very large t-shirt while telling me that what I was wearing was inappropriate and in violation of their dress code.”
Mantor admits that the tank top does ride up when she moves around while working out but it was never a problem at the gym before.
The majority of Planet Fitness clubs are owned and operated by individual franchisees,” McCall Gosselin, Director of Public Relations for Planet Fitness, released in a statement to WCIV. “Our corporate dress code policy, which is enforced at the discretion of club staff, states that jeans, boots, men’s string tank tops, or revealing clothing are prohibited. This particular location also had a stated policy that prohibited bare midriffs. In this instance, a staff member approached the member to inform her of the policy and offer her a free t-shirt to complete her workout. She was not asked to leave the gym as a result of her attire.”
Mantor countered that she’s been wearing the same gym outfits for the past three years with no complaints.
“T-shirts are terribly uncomfortable for me to work out in while getting sweaty and lifting weights,” Mantor said. “I have had equal amounts of my midriff showing from the day I began going to this the gym. The night of the 21st was the first time I attended the gym while noticeably pregnant.”
Planet Fitness has various advertisements which markets itself as a “Judgement Free Zone.”
“Planet Fitness advertises their ‘no Judgement policy. I have never felt so judged and embarrassed in my life,” said Mantor. “I am 18 weeks pregnant, have a 3-year-old daughter. It is hard enough for me to get the motivation to stay healthy and exercise. Being told that I do not look appropriate enough to be working out really took the wind out of my sails. I feel like this was embarrassing and completely out of line. Nobody wants to go to the gym being told that they need to cover up their body because it is offensive.”
Mantor was extremely embarrassed by the situation and doesn’t want to return to the gym.
“I even had people (working out next to her) comment about the situation, which was extremely embarrassing,” she said. “Being a pregnant woman getting kicked out of the gym for being dressed inappropriately…I am a mother and a modest person. I do not want to be told I am dressed inappropriately.”
