A transgender woman who was forced to use a men’s locker room at a yoga studio in New York City is suing the company for $5million.
Ali Miles, who also goes by Dylan Miles, was born a biological male but is in ‘the process of transitioning into [a] woman’, wears women’s clothing and is undergoing hormone therapy.
She claims to have been banned from using the women’s changing rooms and bathrooms on May 4 by management at Hot Yoga Chelsea – where classes can cost as much as $1,900 per year.
But Miles went in anyway and it led to complaints from the other women in there, according to the lawsuit.
It is the third gender-identity discrimination case she has filed in the city in the last 13 months, according to the New York Post.
Miles, originally from Arizona, turned up to the Manhattan studio before the 5pm class and wanted to get changed in the women’s locker room.
But her presence was met with complaints and she was told to stop using the facilities and leave.
‘Female patrons … complained and yelled at Miles about Miles’ presence and use of the single-sex locker room and bathroom labeled women, and they demanded Miles leave and cease using the facilities,’ the lawsuit states.
A witness described Miles’ behavior on that day as disturbing and said she was ‘150% a man’ and that her genitals were hanging out in the locker room.
‘We have other transgender people [at Chelsea Hot Yoga], we have several trans women and several trans men, and there’s never been a problem. … it’s this individual,’ she told the New York Post.
‘This person who claims to be a transitioning woman came into the female locker room, number one, in male shorts that were down to his knees.
Although there could be some hormonal addition because his bust is bigger than mine, he did not wear any feminine top to cover his bust.
‘He also de-robed, and he is a full male. There’s 150% man. There were things hanging out.’
The witness added: ‘It wasn’t even like he was just standing there. He was crouched down on the floor in front of the shower stalls.
‘It was very uncomfortable for one of the women that was in there and she was completely naked.
‘This person started in immediately with reciting the law, and why would you do that?
