“Overreach of power”: Florida AG threatens private businesses with gender identity rules that don’t exist
Florida – The attorney general of Florida is now in the middle of a growing dispute about locker room rules at a private gym. This has raised questions about the boundaries of state law and the rights of transgender individuals in private facilities.
The argument started earlier this month when Attorney General James Uthmeier, who had recently been appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis, wrote a strongly worded letter to Life Time Fitness, saying that the company was incorrectly letting transgender women use the women’s locker area.
Uthmeier’s letter, which was sent on May 12, warned Life Time Fitness that the state might look into the gym’s policy of “allowing men posing as women” use the women’s facilities. He said that this kind of approach “endangers women,” referring to concerns about safety and privacy, but the letter didn’t name any specific Florida regulations or statutes.
Even though Florida’s 2023 “bathroom bill” only applies to restrooms and changing rooms on public property, such as those in schools or government buildings, the attorney general continues to take action. It doesn’t cover private companies like Life Time Fitness. Uthmeier said that Palm Beach County’s own human rights law didn’t cover restroom access, but it does protect gender identity.
Recently, my office became aware of a complaint against Life Time Fitness in Palm Beach Gardens for putting women and girls at risk by allowing men into the women’s locker rooms.
If Life Time does not immediately reverse this dangerous policy, my office will take swift legal… pic.twitter.com/BXtDqXsOCF
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) May 12, 2025
Uthmeier used Florida’s Civil Rights Act in posts on social media to say that “Florida law protects spaces designated for women.” However, legal experts and advocacy groups have said that the Civil Rights Act, which was passed in 1992, does not directly reference bathroom or locker room use or gender identity. It does say that discrimination based on gender is illegal.
Uthmeier said he was worried about the situation even though there didn’t seem to be any legal grounds for action. He pointed to a few occurrences from other states, including news stories about transgender people and fights in locker rooms, as reasons for his worry. He didn’t talk about any problems that had happened in the area or give specific concerns from Life Time Fitness members.
Life Time Fitness changed its policy at the Palm Beach Gardens location because the attorney general’s office was putting pressure on them. Officials at the gym told local news outlets that they would follow Uthmeier’s reading of state law, but they also said that they would continue to serve all members. This shows that they are trying to balance following the law with being inclusive.
Activists and civil rights groups have strongly criticized the decision, saying that the attorney general’s involvement goes beyond the limits of state law and weakens local protections against discrimination. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida made it clear that the state’s restroom rules do not apply to private enterprises unless they are located in public facilities. They also said that gender identification is still protected by other civil rights laws.
The argument shows how governmental officials and private businesses are still at odds over transgender rights and the use of gendered areas. The future of locker room rules at Life Time Fitness and other private gyms in Florida is still up in the air, as people on both sides of the issue continue to argue over the role of law and policy in these kinds of personal concerns.
