Teen Asked Leave Planet Fitness Gym Because her Tank Top was Making Others

A teenager showed up at a Planet Fitness in suburban Michigan expecting a normal workout and instead got pulled aside by staff. They told her the tank top she had on was making other members uncomfortable, and she needed to leave or change. The 16-year-old, who had been a regular at the gym, said the top was a standard racerback style she wore all the time without issue elsewhere.

Planet Fitness markets itself as a place where people can exercise without feeling judged, yet the employee on duty that day cited the chain’s clothing guidelines. Those rules apparently flag certain tank tops if they expose too much skin or have large armholes. The girl said she wasn’t wearing anything revealing by most standards—just a basic athletic top with leggings—but staff wouldn’t budge.

She left without finishing her session and later described the exchange on social media. Her post quickly drew comments from other teens and young women who said they had run into similar complaints at gyms. Some argued the policy was inconsistently applied and seemed aimed more at women’s clothing than men’s.

A spokesperson for Planet Fitness later issued a short statement acknowledging the situation could have been handled better. They noted that location managers have discretion on the dress code but emphasized the brand’s overall goal of keeping the environment welcoming. The teen said she planned to find another gym rather than return.