A reply from Planet Fitness about discrimination - interesting read

[Arthur Bishop]

I am unfortunately a member of Plant Fitness and its not by choice. It happens to be the only gym in the small town i live in.
I have read comments here that obviously feel the same as i do about the treatment of Planet Fitness members and are offended by the commercials that portray bodybuilders as "stupid". The members on the forum know more about fitness and bodybuilding then any "corporate" couch potato that Planet fitness obviously want as members.
So, i wrote them a couple of emails claiming i was in the begaining a law suit towards Planet Fitness for discrimination and defamatory remarks they make in all their advertising commercials.

Here is the email i sent:
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Attention Planet Fitness management,

I am a member of your facility ask a question or two about your club.
First, we have all seen the silly commercials that PF advertises that "stereotype" a bodybuilder with large muscles. I ask you, how can you post signs in your club with big X marks placed over pictures of large sized bodybuilders and also make obscene commercials claiming that every body builder is "stupid" and also not allow "bodybuilding type" in your club yet you have "judgement free zone" posted on every single ranting advertisement you have. How can you claim your "judgement free" when you DIRECTLY judge/discriminate bodybuilders?
I am talking to my attorney in Atlanta G.A. about filing a lawsuit against PF for discrimination.
For my pending lawsuit i would like your reply to these allegations.
Also, What is your reasoning behind giving out FREE pizza to people who's only goal in even being there is to lose weight and stay away from FATTY foods... like PIZZA! Is it just a way of keeping steady business? Fatten your members up, let them work out, fatten them up, work out... a never end cycle that always ends in the same result... having to pay a membership to a place that keeps members fat at the same time.
I have asked almost every franchise these questions. I am awaiting your answer.
Planet Fitness proves to be the most hypocritical fitness outlet in America.
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The reply:
Dr. Bishop,

Thank you for your comments. Our television commercial and advertisements playfully (playfully looks allot like discriminating sarcasm to me) make the point that Planet Fitness is geared toward general fitness and not extremely hard-core weightlifters. We’ve created a gym that’s eliminated the intimidation factor (Who the hell is intimidated by a person that is lean and large?Most i have met are inspired by well built bodybuilders) – the very thing that has long kept many folks (Bodybuilders never kept anyone from joining a gym - the fact they are lazy asses is pretty much the all around reason) from ever setting foot inside a gym. We meant no disrespect to any of our customers and certainly did not intend to insult any group of people with our commercial and/or advertisements.

We offer free bagel morning and free pizza night to our members, each once per month. We feel that both pizza and bagels can be a part of a healthy and active lifestyle. Tootsie rolls (Pizza, soft drinks and tootsie rolls are the ideal diet and are good for you? Yeah the same way the government wants us to believe fluoride in our drinking water is healthy) as well, as we have them available at the front desk. We consider pizza to be one of the best diet foods available. Tootsie rolls are good for energy. It is, of course, up to the individual as to whether or not they would like to partake (temptation of the already weak). We feel these things add to what makes us different than other gyms, and it helps add to our fun and friendly atmosphere. Our members have no worries of some big lunk of muscle spitting or cursing at them while sweating all over our equipment. Most do not have enough sense to clean the equipment after they use it.

We do realize that everyone will have their own opinions regarding foods and beverages; and it’s not our intention to label what we happen to offer as either good, nor as bad. We feel that just as in any other setting (grocery store, restaurant, etc.), it’s up to the individual to make a decision, based on their own values and needs.(So setting a butt naked penthouse model in front of a married and horny orthodox priest will inspire him to now want to have sex?) If you do not like our choice of food then go somewhere else and eat. Thats not our problem, its yours.

As the most innovative health club brand in the United States, Planet Fitness is known for a lot of things – our absurdly low prices, our LunkTM Alarm, and most of all perhaps, for our Judgement Free Zone® philosophy, which means members can relax and socialize,(relaxing is what got them fat to start with and socializing is the reason for the extinction of true bodybuilders) get in shape, and have fun without being subjected to the hard-core, look-at-me attitude (The owners are the ones who seem intimidated to me - a better word would be jealous and again more defamatory remarks) that exists in too many gyms. We do not cater to you and especially not bodybuilders who always drop and throw weights, and continue to spit obnoxious cursing grunting. We want our members to feel comfortable in a non-intimidating atmosphere. We are about general fitness, and most of our members are in fact first time users of a gym! (no shit, you can tell that by looking at them)

We don’t have any salespeople, and we don’t bother with all the extras like classes, juice bars and childcare that drive up costs and can make a gym membership seem more like a car payment (na, they just spend tons of money on defamatory commercials making people who are in shape look ignorant). Instead, we’ve boiled our business down to the things that you really want in a health club – clean, stylish, hassle-free facilities that are filled with tons of brand quality equipment and lots of happy members (Happy? Happy for what? Being out of shape and having to train at the most famine gym in America) If you’re looking for a comfortable, friendly place to exercise, and like a great deal, then you’ll love Planet Fitness!

Please feel free to contact us again.
Regards,
Amy Bick
Member Relations
Planet Fitness Corporate
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My reply to this email:
Thank you for your response but i must respectfully disagree with your logic for keeping "bodybuilders" out of your gym.

dis·crim·i·na·tion/disˌkriməˈnāSHən/Noun
1. The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things

Your "gym" practices the very definition discrimination. Selectively picking out a "group" of people is a violation of the the forth amendment. Your logic on keeping "bodybuilders" away from your establishment is ludacris. I have been a member of about 12 different gyms over the last 15 years and i have never met a single person that was intimidated because a certain person is in way better shape then another person. As a matter of a fact, i can assure you almost every person i have known that work out in the gyms i trained at found it very inspirational - directly opposite from your reason.
That is general common sense. How would fat people be more inspired to look like other fat people? Would you go to a car lot and be inspired by a Chevrolet mini van if you where striving to own a corvette? I would think not.
Every one i have met have been inspired by the people they strive to look like. Im not saying "bodybuilders" are what everybody wants to look like. Im saying bodybuilders (larger, leaner people) are dedicated to training and fitness. They offer allot more then just banging weights around. Most bodybuilders are very well informed on diet and fitness. That is the very knowledge most "fat" or out of shape people inspire to know.
My problem is the fact your commercials always portray a muscle bound guy that you obviously go out of the way to make look "stupid" and "ignorant". Thats discrimination. If i went on TV and made an add about black people and threw in a Uncle Tom or token "yesa masta" i would have my ass sued within the first week.
I my self and not a bodybuilder. I have a well defined, muscular physique and i learned how to get that way by asking bodybuilders because they obviously know what they are doing. My son is a state champion bodybuilder and your commercials directly point toward my son and insinuate he is "stupid" because he is better shape then most.
Then we have the pizza issue. I fail to see the logic of laying a big table full of grease and fat in front a bunch of overweight people that have enough problems avoiding that stuff at home. It seems that your trying to run a gym based on "business" instead of general care for the customer. You sign people up, then fatten them up so they keep coming back.
How can you claim you dont? The temptation to eat fattening foods are the the exact reason people are overweight.
To put it in front of them while they are on a tread mill would be no different then holding a piece of cheese in front of a starving rat while he runs on the cage wheel. It seems cruel to most people i know.
General logic would tell you to put out lots of fruit, low carb items, products that are high in protein instead of fat and grease. I once knew a plumber that every time he got a call to fix something he would loosen something else just so the customer would have to call again and have another repair. I very much disagreed with what he was doing and i took the appropriate actions to stop it. Your gym the same with its members.
I would like to thank you for your reply. It will help allot with my impending lawsuit because you directly implicated the facts i am trying to prove.
9 out of 10 members of planet fitness would rather go to another gym that does not discriminate and the only reason they dont is because of your cheap membership fee.

Regards, Dr.B
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For what its worth, my opinion of Planet Fitness is not a good one at all. The words 'judgement free zone" are plastered on every piece of equipment while they directly judge the regular bodybuilder.
It makes me sick to see these kind of establishments popping up across America while the real old school gyms slowly fade away

 

[BigNShredded]

So wants to video tape me applying for a membership at PF? SERIOUS..

 

[fade]

I'm not sure why you guys waste your time or energy on this stuff... Do your best to prove them wrong, not to reinforce their stereotypes.

 

[Juiceboy44]

That place is a waste of time.
A buddy was telling me that works out there that they removed the 1 bench press they had and some of the dumbells.
Dumbells used to go up to 60 now the heaviest one is 35
WTF?

 

[JMAN86]

That place is a waste of time.
A buddy was telling me that works out there that they removed the 1 bench pressed they had and some of the dumbells.
Dumbells used to go up to 60 now the heaviest one is 35
WTF?

HAHA, MY GF USED TO WORK OUT AT PF I STOPPED IN ONCE WITH HER JUST TO CHECK IT OUT AND THE DBELLS WENT UP TO 75LBS, ONE FLAT BENCH, ONE INCLINE BENCH AND NOT MUCH MORE, OH AND ABOUT 100 CARDIO MACHINES.. NEEDLESS TO DAY, SHE LEFT AND NOW WORKS OUT AT GOLDS GYM

 

[maldorf]

Maybe you could find a lawyer that would represent you pro bono? To me you have a really good case and I cannot see how you would not win. Even if you lost it would make them sweat some and have to spend a lot of cash in court and maybe then they would stop some of their behavior. I think youre 100% on point with your comment about the commercials especially. Have you talked to any lawyers yet?
I can see why youre doing this. If you lived in a larger town you wouldnt have to worry about those clowns at PF, but it sounds like you do not have much choice. Maybe just do what I did and buy yourself all the equipment you need and lift in the privacy of your own home.

 

[ChuckSm00th]

That gym is a joke. I heard of a bodybuilder (on another board) who went there just to do cardio while he was out of town, they took one look at him and said "we dont allow your kind here". Dumbfounded he asked why and they argued back and forth and asked him to leave because of his appearance. All he wanted was to purchase a fucking day pass to do some cardio, no yelling, no grunting, and no gallon jug either.
I wish these places would just close but as in the above email they survive due to the ridiculous prices they advertise for memberships. Sad but i do believe they are here to stay.

 

[Juiceboy44]

HAHA, MY GF USED TO WORK OUT AT PF I STOPPED IN ONCE WITH HER JUST TO CHECK IT OUT AND THE DBELLS WENT UP TO 75LBS, ONE FLAT BENCH, ONE INCLINE BENCH AND NOT MUCH MORE, OH AND ABOUT 100 CARDIO MACHINES.. NEEDLESS TO DAY, SHE LEFT AND NOW WORKS OUT AT GOLDS GYM

Lol
Yep, typical PF. 85% of it is cardio equipment
I went in there once with a friend and I kept getting dirty looks by dumbasses that work there.
Never again.

I wish these places would just close but as in the above email they survive due to the ridiculous prices they advertise for memberships. Sad but i do believe they are here to stay.

I agree.
Who cant come up with a ten dollar bill per month?
I know tons of people that have a membership there and they show up maybe once every 2-3 months.
They have the "upgraded" $20 membership that included unlimited tanning

 

[fade]

I am PRAYING that they come to my town. We have YMCA and another locally owned a operated gym full of douchebags.

The YMCA is for the poor people and the families. The other gym is the nicer of the two, but is $70 for me and my wife. I hope to god someone like planet fitness that is a NICE gym comes into town for $10 a month and my gym has to be aggressive on their pricing. I will gladly deal with all the bullshit to get some competition here in town to get the douchebags to start treating the members like they actually want them at their club and lowering their prices.

Planet Fitness is good for business.

 

[Ulamalop]

To me you have a really good case and I cannot see how you would not win.

I can think of one reason. "The Jacked" is not a protected class like the disabled, minorities, women, over 40, etc.

 

[fitnessjess]

how could you win? for one its a business and you can choose to go there or not its not like youre applying for a job and arent getting it because youre big. also, they dont turn big people away they just make signs and commercials mockng bodybuilders, you dont have to go in there if you dont want to, it would be like trying to sue a gay bar because it was drag queen night and you didnt get in free because you werent dressed like a woman. i dont understand why everyone got all worked up over this, if you dont like why go there and even more why would you even want to go there. find a gym that better suits you.

 

[waynaferd]

Yeah, go ask for an application, then depending on response, do your lawsuit.

Businesses can refuse service to anyone for whatever reason......

 

[BOOMSHAKER]

That gym is a joke. I heard of a bodybuilder (on another board) who went there just to do cardio while he was out of town, they took one look at him and said "we dont allow your kind here". Dumbfounded he asked why and they argued back and forth and asked him to leave because of his appearance. All he wanted was to purchase a fucking day pass to do some cardio, no yelling, no grunting, and no gallon jug either.
I wish these places would just close but as in the above email they survive due to the ridiculous prices they advertise for memberships. Sad but i do believe they are here to stay.

PF might as well hang sings that read "counters and rest rooms for whites folks only". Because that's where they are headed with this discrimination bullshit!

 

[Bionic]

It's like a guy suing for not being able to join the local Living Well Lady. Are you just trying to make a name for yourself or is this really that important to you? Seems like there are more important things that need attention and action.

 

[LIFTW8S]

All the Planet Fitness Gyms here in California are literally in the ghetto, or it feels like you're working out with the ghetto.

 

[Bio]

I can think of one reason. "The Jacked" is not a protected class like the disabled, minorities, women, over 40, etc.

Here is a quote from the PF reply..."We do not cater to you and especially not bodybuilders who always drop and throw weights, and continue to spit obnoxious cursing grunting". They are making an absolute assumption about people that look a certain way, without actually knowing anything about that person and what their "habits" are. Just dissect the above quote, "We do not cater to you..." What does that mean? Especially since the respondent doesn't view the letter writer as a bodybuilder, which is made clear by the distinction as the sentence continues..."...and especially not bodybuilders who always drop and throw weights, and continue to spit obnoxious cursing grunting". If this doesn't constitute a prejudiced statement, then I'm not sure what does!! So, bodybuilders(all, they are stating this as an absolute) drop and throw weights(I don't) and continue to spit obnoxious cursing grunting(I don't, and the bodybuilders I see training aren't either). I think you have a great case for discrimination suit. Let us know how it goes!!!

 

[Bio]

how could you win? for one its a business and you can choose to go there or not its not like youre applying for a job and arent getting it because youre big. also, they dont turn big people away they just make signs and commercials mockng bodybuilders, you dont have to go in there if you dont want to, it would be like trying to sue a gay bar because it was drag queen night and you didnt get in free because you werent dressed like a woman. i dont understand why everyone got all worked up over this, if you dont like why go there and even more why would you even want to go there. find a gym that better suits you.

Like the original poster stated, this is the only gym where he is at. He lives in a small town. As long as the gym is co-ed, they can't discriminate against you based on what you look like. Your gay bar, drag queen analogy is idiotic at best.

 

[Jonny]

They should just put a sign up that says, "We reserve the right to refuse service to assholes like you.", and be done with it.

 

[Ironraider]

I am not an attorney, nor play one on TV, however, I am sure that PF has discussed this with corp. attorneys to see if this business model is legit.

I had the opportunity to workout at a PF in Oshkosh WI, while I was there on business. I checked them out online, since i wasn't familiar with them...and noticed the "lunk alarm" and read their so called mission statement. My first thought was, how the hell could they get away with this, as it most certainly seems like some form or level of discrimination.

Making fun of a group of people, though not a race, religion, or sex, might be worthy of further discrimination investigation.

With that said...you need to know the end game...what is the purpose? If it is the only place in town to train, you might have something to go on. A policy change, capital gain?

If there are other places to go, the chances of victory are reduced, since you have somewhere else to train.

Fortunately for me, I was able to find a Golds Gym in the area, and didn't have to attempt to be tormented by the likes of those people...and sending the lunk alarm off.

Good luck...lunk!

 

[TODouble2]

i applaud you for what you're doing. it absolutely is discrimination! what if a gym didn't allow fat people to join? because it makes the bodybuilders sick to look at them and they smell like shit when they sweat!!! i hope the fat fucks that started planet fitness choke on that pizza!!!