STEPHENVILLE, TX—When thinking of Planet Fitness, many patrons are stirred by thoughts of the “judgment-free zone,” a safe place where they can exercise without condemning glances in their own manner and at their own leisure. However, trouble has been brewing at one location as the custodian has regularly seized and blockaded the men’s restroom.
Since her hire date last month, Sofía Gomez, age 37, has been causing a stir by barricading herself in the men’s restroom at least once a day for 30 minutes at a time. Numerous male patrons have been startled to walk toward the restroom, where their possessions are stored in lockers or where they would typically shower, only to find that Gomez has blocked the entryway so that she can have the entirety of it to herself.
“This is totally unfair,” one gym-goer reported. “I have a Black Card membership and pay a regular monthly fee so that I can use any facility here. Then she [Gomez] comes waltzing in and forces me to wait a whole half hour so she can have some private time. Can’t she just use the women’s bathroom? Come on!” Other male exercisers reported similar grievances.
“So let me get this straight,” said one agitated man. “After sweating up a freaking storm, I can’t just go take a shower? All I need is five minutes in there—in and out—but this custodian takes the whole place for 30 minutes? What gives her the right? Sometimes I’ll see her come out of there and give her a little bow while saying, ‘Are you finally done in there, your majesty?’ I mean, what is she even doing in there?” Tardiness to work, missed appointments, and delayed plans are just some of the objections raised against the custodian.
Various other attendees voiced their frustration that they cannot relieve themselves during that 30-minute window. Conversely, some men have taken a more aggressive approach, particularly when “bathroom emergencies” (e.g. bowel movements) struck. One lamented, “I just wish there were another men’s bathroom or even a drain we could pee in. Once, I was having such a hard time holding it that I almost went in the water fountain, but the front desk employee stopped me.
So much for being a judgment-free zone.” Another frustrated patron said that he rushed into one of the stalls in the women’s restroom; when afterwards met with confused looks and screams, he claimed that he was transitioning genders and walked quickly back to the gym floor.
Despite frequent and vociferous complaints to management about her, Gomez continues to take over the men’s restroom at regular intervals and for her own greedy purposes. As one gym-goer asked: “How can anyone be so selfish?”
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