Transgender woman reacts furiously after being turned away from women’s-only gym

A transgender woman has been turned away from a women’s gym in New Zealand – despite having a birth certificate showing her gender.

On May 28, Penelopy Mansell went to Revive Fitness gym in the country’s capital, Wellington, expecting to be given the tour and told why she should join.

Instead, she was refused entry to the gym, with a staff member informing her that trans women were banned unless they had undergone confirmation surgery.

(Penelopy Mansell/Facebook)

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Mansell, 49, has so far been unable to get surgery, as the waiting list for the government’s publicly funded operations can leave trans people kicking their heels for decades.

She pleaded with staff, even showing them her the birth certificate – which identifies her as a woman – but they would not relent.

(Penelopy Mansell/Facebook)

Writing on Facebook, she said: “ONLY allowed in (for free tour) AFTER I GET THE OP!!

“I’ll just wait 60+ years then…?”

Mansell added that she “was told ‘it’s company policy that all trans people have a medical confirmed srs (sex reassignment) op before being allowed in the GYM.'”