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Fitness influencer Natalee Barnett has garnered immense backlash online after revealing on social media that her transgender-women-inclusive gym in London called The Girls Spot is now banning trans-female clients. The 25-year-old took to Instagram to announce that her soon-to-be-opened gym is now open only “for biological women.”
It is worth noting that the social media personality had also collected funds to open the gym by promising that it would be an inclusive space for transgender women as well.
Trigger Warning: The following article discusses transphobia. Reader’s discretion is advised.
Its Onsite shared the now-deleted video of Natalee Barnett where she made the announcement on March 11. In the clip, the 25-year-old acknowledged that she had promised back in 2021 on X that the gym would be a safe-space for transgender women as well.
However, that is not the case right now in light of women facing “gym harassment, s*xual assault and s*xual violence” in gyms.
Natalee Barnett also stated that the gym programs in The Girls Spot are tailored for cisgender women exclusively.
For those uninitiated, Natalee Barnett has amassed over 400,000 followers on Instagram. The mother of one will be opening The Girls Spot by being her own investor. The rest of the funds have been collected through online fundraising platforms like GoFundMe.
While posting fitness content online, she has also shared her pregnancy and motherhood journey since giving birth to her daughter, Kehlani.
Netizens were displeased by the influencer’s decision to ban transgender women. Some comments online read:
Natalee Barnett had taken to her social media accounts to share multiple explanations behind making the decision at the time of writing this article. Meanwhile, some other reactions read:
The move comes in light of President Donald Trump signing an executive order that bans transgender female athletes from competing in women's or girls’ sporting events. Meanwhile, other critics stated online:
The Girls Spot will be focusing on self-defense classes, Muay Thai, boxing classes and creating workshops and activations related to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and training based on one’s menstrual cycle, according to Barnett.
Meanwhile, some other reactions read:
Although Natalee Barnett garnered immense criticism online, she has also amassed some support. Comments online read:
Natalee Barnett takes to her Instagram account to address the controversy
The internet personality took to her Instagram stories on March 11 to address her critics. She started off the social media post by stating that she sympathizes with transgender women. She added:
“I want to be clear, I am in no way saying that trans women don’t face adversity or that they don’t deserve a safe space because they absolutely do.”
She also said in the Instagram story that she made the decision to make her gym a cisgender women-only space by consulting lawyers, the transgender community, other minorities and Muslim women.
The Wandsworth, London-based gym had not uploaded any posts related to the controversy on its Instagram account.
When the gym officially opens for the public remained unknown at the time of writing this article.
