Crunch Fitness Permanently Closes Steam Room Due To Cruising

Crunch Fitness Permanently Closes Steam Room Due To Cruising

Well, it finally happened. Crunch Fitness near our headquarters in West Hollywood put up a sign and announced that the facility's steam room is being closed permanently due to inappropriate behavior of its patrons. I.e. guys were cruising and hooking up. Is this a shock? Um, no. Illicit behavior often happens in locker rooms and steam rooms at the gym.

The facility temporarily closed the steam room due to inappropriate conduct back in January after receiving many complaints about the shenanigans happening. The gym took similar action back in 2022. Apparently, the cruising didn't let up and now it is off limits. The temporary closure lasted for two weeks. A notice was posted saying, “We do not tolerate inappropriate behavior in our facility, and we will enforce our policy." Anyone caught engaging in sexual behavior was to have their membership terminated. Can you imagine not being able to go to the gym because you are getting busy? LOL. The manager of the Crunch location took to social media to post, “If you are participating in sexual activity in our public space, which is illegal, I will terminate your membership immediately. I am gay, so let’s not make it OK because it’s a ‘gay thing.’”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gayety (@gayety)

Members are up in arms saying that using the steam room is a benefit of having a membership and should not be closed. Others think it is targeting gay men. And some members have commented that illicit activity happens in the shower areas as well but those aren't being closed.  The gym stated that showers are essential for hygienic purposes. The fact remains, that public sex is illegal. We know cruising still happens and we may have been guilty of participating from time to time. Cruising and hooking up in public is part of our gay culture, but should we be calling a stop to it?

Right now, the LGBTQ community is under political attack. News like this just seems to play into the conservative side's fascination with us having sex. We know that our hookup apps even have listings on places where to cruise. But does that make it alright? Are we representing our community well when we make someone else uncomfortable when they walk in on us getting it on in public places? Would we want that done to us? Should we be more careful flaunting our sexuality because of the current social and political climate towards the queer community? Or are we giving in by not celebrating the sexual part of our identity? What say you? Is permanently closing the stream room a bit drastic or necessary?

We even wrote an article on How to Cruise At The Gym. We did recommend taking the action out of the gym, and also how to be discrete when flirting with someone. No means no. And straight, and even gay, guys will report you if they are uncomfortable.

Tell us your thoughts!

Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected]
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.