Gym expulsion angers transgender man

by JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN - The Press | Wednesday, 14 May 2008

A Christchurch transgender man has laid a complaint with the Human Rights Commission claiming his gym membership was terminated because of his sexuality.

Andrew Dobson, a former member of Pro-Fitness gym, said his contract was terminated on April 7 after a manager told him they had received several body odour complaints against him.

Dobson said the gym management was trying to find any excuse to be rid of him, as he had disclosed to staff his plans to "transition" - live permanently as a woman - this month.

Pro-Fitness management has rejected Dobson's claims as "totally unfounded".

Human Rights Commission spokesman Gilbert Wong confirmed the commission had received a complaint from Dobson, and had assigned a mediator to work with him and the gym. The mediation was unsuccessful.

"Mediation was unsuccessful so we advised, if the person wants to take it further they could," Wong said.

Dobson said he was preparing his case to present to the director of prosecutions for the Office of Human Rights Proceedings.

Dobson said on April 3 a manager called him into her office and told him "now and then" they had to talk to people about body odour problems.

He recalled a one-off incident the previous week where he had been to a spin class and was planning to do another workout but had forgotten a change of top. "(The manager) said, `you must be transitioning in the next few weeks'. She mentioned it specifically, which I thought was odd."

On Saturday April 5, Dobson worked out on the cardio machines and said he changed his top twice during the workout, regularly used deodorant and positioned himself downwind from the fan because he was paranoid about smelling.

On April 7, he was called back into the manager's office who told him there had been complaints about his odour.

"She said, `I'm not going to beat around the bush. I have had so many complaints about your body odour, you are using the sauna inappropriately and you have made comments about staff. We are going to terminate your membership', and I was escorted out.

"I was disgraced, humiliated, and felt like I had my rights and honour taken away from me."

Pro-Fitness chief executive Steve Barry said the gym categorically denied Dobson's "totally unfounded" claims.

He said Dobson's membership was "terminated for manifest and serious breaches of his membership terms and conditions".

"The exact nature of those breaches is a matter of privacy between Mr Dobson and Pro-Fitness and we are not able to disclose or discuss them."

Barry would not comment on Dobson's claims over body odour but said gym memberships had been terminated for personal hygiene and conduct issues.

He said the gym was on "a hiding to nothing" because it could not comment on the details but the decision had nothing to do with Dobson's sexuality.

A Christchurch transgender man has laid a complaint with the Human Rights Commission claiming his gym membership was terminated because of his sexuality.

Andrew Dobson, a former member of Pro-Fitness gym, said his contract was terminated on April 7 after a manager told him they had received several body odour complaints against him.

Dobson said the gym management was trying to find any excuse to be rid of him, as he had disclosed to staff his plans to "transition" - live permanently as a woman - this month.

Pro-Fitness management has rejected Dobson's claims as "totally unfounded".

Human Rights Commission spokesman Gilbert Wong confirmed the commission had received a complaint from Dobson, and had assigned a mediator to work with him and the gym. The mediation was unsuccessful.

"Mediation was unsuccessful so we advised, if the person wants to take it further they could," Wong said.

Dobson said he was preparing his case to present to the director of prosecutions for the Office of Human Rights Proceedings.

Dobson said on April 3 a manager called him into her office and told him "now and then" they had to talk to people about body odour problems.

He recalled a one-off incident the previous week where he had been to a spin class and was planning to do another workout but had forgotten a change of top. "(The manager) said, `you must be transitioning in the next few weeks'. She mentioned it specifically, which I thought was odd."

On Saturday April 5, Dobson worked out on the cardio machines and said he changed his top twice during the workout, regularly used deodorant and positioned himself downwind from the fan because he was paranoid about smelling.

On April 7, he was called back into the manager's office who told him there had been complaints about his odour.

"She said, `I'm not going to beat around the bush. I have had so many complaints about your body odour, you are using the sauna inappropriately and you have made comments about staff. We are going to terminate your membership', and I was escorted out.

"I was disgraced, humiliated, and felt like I had my rights and honour taken away from me."

Pro-Fitness chief executive Steve Barry said the gym categorically denied Dobson's "totally unfounded" claims.

He said Dobson's membership was "terminated for manifest and serious breaches of his membership terms and conditions".

"The exact nature of those breaches is a matter of privacy between Mr Dobson and Pro-Fitness and we are not able to disclose or discuss them."

Barry would not comment on Dobson's claims over body odour but said gym memberships had been terminated for personal hygiene and conduct issues.

He said the gym was on "a hiding to nothing" because it could not comment on the details but the decision had nothing to do with Dobson's sexuality.

KIRK HARGREAVES/The Press

PREPARING CASE: Andrew Dobson claims his gym membership was terminated because of his sexuality.