A controversial encounter in the women’s locker room of a Gold’s Gym has gone viral and reignited debate about trans individuals in gym changing areas
Singer and songwriter Tish Hyman is at the center of a heated debate after her viral rant about what she described as “grown men with big d***s in the women’s locker room” at Gold’s Gym. The outspoken artist says her frustration came from a series of uncomfortable encounters, not a single moment. The fallout has sparked national conversation about gender identity, gym safety, and how fitness centers handle transgender locker room access.
The Build-Up to the Viral Rant
Appearing on TMZ Live, Tish Hyman explained that her emotional video wasn’t just about one shocking incident. She claimed she had multiple interactions with transgender women in the women’s locker room that made her feel unsafe and disrespected.
According to Tish, the individuals she encountered were fully dressed but appeared masculine and were verbally aggressive. She alleges they called her a “b*tch” several times and made her feel threatened in what should have been a private space.
This seems to have led to a breaking point and a viral moment online, where she vented about her experience at Gold’s Gym’s Beverly Center location in Los Angeles. Her comments quickly caught fire across social media, with some applauding her honesty and others accusing her of being transphobic.
Adding to the confusion, the Gold’s Gym Beverly Center location is now operated by EoS fitness – a separate entity from the larger Gold’s Gym brand name.
Tish Hyman’s Viral Video
In her now-famous clip, Tish didn’t hold back. She described walking into the women’s locker room and being stunned to find what she perceived as men inside.
“I just had the worst experience ever at the gym at Gold’s Gym, and I think this is probably happening at gyms across America. Where, like, trans women are going into the women’s locker room and not really caring about how women feel about it, and it’s really hurtful.”
Tish insisted she wasn’t attacking the LGBTQ+ community. In the video, she emphasized her identity as a lesbian and her long-standing support for equal rights. But she also called for better solutions—including the creation of separate facilities for transgender gym-goers.
“Why aren’t women making the laws?” she asked. “And if you really wanna f*cking be safe and feel good, why don’t we just make trans restrooms because it ain’t right the way I feel right now.”
Inside the Locker Room Incident
Tish told TMZ she was completely nude when one of the encounters took place.
“I was drying off and oiling up. I turned around and there’s a man in the locker room,” she said. “I said, ‘Sir,’ because I was shocked. He snapped back at me, saying, ‘You can’t tell me nothing, b*tch, I’m a woman.’”
Tish said she screamed for help, staff came in, and the individual was escorted out of the locker room—but not out of the gym. She claims she filed a report afterward, but Gold’s Gym never followed up. That lack of accountability, she said, made her lose trust in the gym she’d been loyal to for years.
Alexis Black Responds
The trans woman involved in one of the incidents, Alexis Black, also joined TMZ Live to give her side of the story. Alexis confirmed she is transitioning and currently taking hormones but still has male genitalia. She said she was never exposed in the locker room, wearing only a towel over her private area.
“Well, I certainly do not understand it, but I do get the notion of the fear mongering that she’s perpetuating. Um, the, the truth in the moment is. Far from what she is purporting it to be. Literally every time that she’s done that, I’ve had women in the locker room comforting me because of how aggressive she was towards me.”
Alexis argued that Tish’s reaction fueled fearmongering about trans women and that situations like this are bound to arise until there’s more education and understanding on both sides. She also pushed back on the idea of creating separate facilities, saying it’s not as easy as people think.
Joey Swoll Steps In
Fitness influencer Joey Swoll, known for addressing gym etiquette and controversies, spoke out in defense of Tish. In a video shared with his 2 million followers, he praised her for standing up for herself and other women.
“Now, regardless of politics, we should all agree that women have the right to feel safe and comfortable in a women’s locker room without having to see a grown man naked,” Joey said. “So Tish. Thank you. I applaud you for your bravery, for sticking up for yourself and for other women. I personally spoke to Tish. She’s very stressed out, having lost her gym membership, a place she loves to go, losing over a hundred pounds there. So I am personally going to help her find a new gym in the LA area, a place where she’ll feel safe and comfortable, and this won’t happen, and I’m going to pay for it too.”
Swoll’s support reignited the discussion online, with thousands debating whether locker room policies should prioritize gender identity or biological sex.
The Larger Debate & Gold’s Gym’s Response
Tish’s story has become part of a growing national debate about transgender inclusion and women’s safety in shared spaces. Supporters say trans women deserve full access to women’s facilities as a matter of equality. Critics argue that privacy and security for biological women are being compromised.
Fitness centers are caught in the middle. With changing state laws and increasing social pressure, gyms like Gold’s are facing the challenge of balancing inclusion with comfort.
Since the initial confrontation and Tish’s statements on TMZ Live, Gold’s Gym has posted the following statement:
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*Images courtesy of Instagram @tmz_tv / @goldsgym
