Trans Man Faces Discrimination in Istanbul Gym

The famous gym chain MACFit’s Anadolu Hisarı branch in Beykoz, Istanbul was the scene of transphobic discrimination. Trans male Çağlar Hamza was first warned by the gym’s managers, where he was a member, by being told “You have a pink ID card, you cannot use the men’s changing room”, and then was forced to freeze his membership.

Source: “Ünlü spor salonu zincirinden transfobik uygulama: Üyeliğini dondur!”, SoL, 20 September 2016, http://haber.sol.org.tr/toplum/unlu-spor-salonu-zincirinden-transfobik-uygulama-uyeligini-dondur-169646 ;

Çağlar Hamza, a trans male who is originally a graphic designer, but still working on ships as a vice captain, was subject to the transphobic discrimination of the managers of the gym chain MACFit’s Anadolu Hisarı branch, of which he has been a member for a year. Çağlar Hamza was warned by a fitness instructor the previous evening with the words “You cannot use the men’s changing room, go use the women’s side”. Çağlar Hamza stated that he is a man, that he had not applied to the court and had his ID card changed yet, but he would be continuing to use the men’s side. He was forced the next day by the gym management to have his membership frozen.

ÇAĞLAR HAMZA: THIS IS A CLEAR TRANSPHOBIC DISCRIMINATION!

Çağlar Hamza, who spoke to soL, said “They gave me three choices. They wanted me to either get dressed and take showers in the women’s side, get dressed outside the premises, or freeze my membership. This is a clear transphobic discrimination. I condemn this”.

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