There are gym horror stories, and then there’s the tale of Brandi Labounty — a Vermont real estate agent who dropped 40 pounds through dedication, consistency, and what appears to be the most controversial pair of gym shorts this side of a CrossFit WOD. After four years of being a loyal member of her local Planet Fitness, Labounty found herself being escorted out by police officers, not for throwing weights or breaking equipment, but for the alleged crime of wearing… short shorts.
Yes, really. Welcome to the latest installment of “Gym Policies That Make You Go Hmm.”
According to Labounty, this wasn’t her first time rocking the shorts in question. In fact, she claims she’d worn the same exact pair for close to a year without so much as a raised eyebrow or passive-aggressive side-eye. But on this fateful day, an employee approached her to say other gym members were complaining that her shorts were “too short.” Brandi looked around. Only four people were in the gym. So she did what any self-respecting adult would do — she asked the other members directly. Were they offended? Uncomfortable? Distracted by her mid-thigh region? The resounding answer was no.
So she told the employee she’d be finishing her workout. Because, you know, it’s a gym. Where people wear gym clothes. To do gym things.
That’s when Planet Fitness, a franchise that markets itself as a “judgment-free zone,” took things to an entirely new level — and not in the motivational poster kind of way. They called the police. Not to break up a fight or respond to a medical emergency. No, they called the actual police to report one woman doing bicep curls in shorts that had apparently crossed some invisible fashion crime line.
“The police looked at me, looked at the employees, and they were like, ‘Why are we here?’” Labounty recalled. That reaction makes sense. It’s hard to believe law enforcement signed up for gym dress code enforcement when they joined the force.
Still, despite their confusion, the officers did what they were asked — they escorted her out. Planet Fitness then served Labounty with a trespassing notice, officially banning her from the premises. Why? Because she dared to question their sudden shorts standard and, heaven forbid, finished her workout.
But wait — it gets better.
The next day, Labounty decided to test just how deep this rabbit hole went. She gave her mother the same pair of shorts to wear to the gym. And wouldn’t you know it — mom got the boot, too. That’s right, Planet Fitness apparently couldn’t handle two generations of spandex. Her mother also received a letter stating she was no longer welcome.
Now, Planet Fitness did respond to the story, telling Inside Edition that “the safety and wellbeing of our members and employees is our top priority.” They added that Labounty was asked to leave for “inappropriate behavior,” but they didn’t specify what that behavior was. Did she break into a Zumba routine on the squat rack? Was she bench-pressing too confidently? Or is this just corporate speak for “she didn’t quietly comply when we told her to leave over nonsense”?
Let’s take a moment to examine the Planet Fitness dress code. Their own website proudly claims, “Members may exercise in a wide variety of attire. Crop tops, sports bras, bralettes, short shorts, long pants, [and] collared shirts are all welcome!” So…what’s the problem? Did someone misinterpret “short shorts” as “shorts so short they offend space and time”? If anything, the company’s vague policy seems to have more loopholes than an airport security line. It says everyone is welcome — unless, apparently, you wear your confidence and your compression shorts at the same time.
Of course, every business has a right to enforce a dress code. But it’s a little hard to take that seriously when the brand sells itself as the anti-judgment fitness sanctuary. “You Belong,” they say. Unless your hamstrings are showing, I guess.
Even more frustrating is the double standard. Go into any gym in America — including Planet Fitness — and you’ll find men in tank tops that could qualify as dental floss. But a woman in shorts that rode a bit high up the thigh? That’s enough for a trespassing order.
Labounty’s story has since made the rounds online, and for good reason. It touches on something a lot of people — especially women — are tired of: inconsistent, arbitrary enforcement of rules that seem to punish confidence more than clothing. If Brandi had been in baggy basketball shorts and an oversized tee, would this have happened? Doubtful.
Fortunately, the story has a somewhat happy ending. Labounty found a new gym, where she continues her workouts without being treated like a fashion felon. The shorts? Still part of the rotation. The gym staff? Still unbothered. Imagine that — grown adults working out and minding their own business.
So maybe Planet Fitness should update their slogan. Instead of “Judgment-Free Zone,” how about: “Just Don’t Wear Shorts We Don’t Like — Or Else.”