SANDPOINT — A social media post shared throughout multiple county forums has sparked debate of inclusiveness and safety as it pertains to Sandpoint city code and a local gym.  

Conversations hit the internet last week when a Litehouse YMCA employee in Sandpoint shared on Facebook an encounter she had with a “semi-dressed” male coming out of a shower in the YMCA’s female locker room. 

The incident has prompted public concerns about the safety of vulnerable individuals in a space intended to be secure. When asked about the incident, YMCA officials said the facility’s policies are, and must be, aligned with Sandpoint city code. 

According to Jennifer Hook, the lifeguard on duty during the encounter, she could tell the individual was a male because he “had a male chest under the bra” he wore. She also noted that the unidentified male had a female companion with him.  

“I did not see his genitalia, but I could tell that this was a man,” said Hook in the Facebook post. “I checked the rest of the locker room to make sure that there were no vulnerable people or children in there and then I went outside the locker room to the front desk to my superiors to tell them that there was a man in the women’s locker room.” 

In the post, Hook shared her interaction with coworkers and several community members utilizing the pool, ultimately notifying the police after feeling disturbed by what took place. In the post that outlines the incident, Hook said she feels the encounter was a “direct violation of consent, public safety, mixed gender, willful lewdness and probably several other situational circumstances.”  

When asked about the incident, YMCA officials stated that an internal review was conducted relating to procedures and local law, finding that the locker room usage is consistent with Sandpoint law, “which allows an individual to use the locker room that aligns with their gender identity.”  

“To date, we have adhered to locker room use procedures that are consistent with city of Sandpoint Code 5-2-10:1-3, which addresses discrimination based on gender identity. It is important to note that the YMCA does not permit access to female-designated spaces by all males. This applies specifically to individuals who identify as female, in alignment with their gender identity. This is consistent with state and local law,” YMCA officials told the Daily Bee.  

Sandpoint Code further specifies that the code is in place “in order to ensure that all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, enjoy the full benefits of citizenship and are afforded equal opportunities for employment, housing, commercial property, and the use of public accommodations, it is necessary that appropriate legislation be enacted. 

The YMCA, along with other businesses in Sandpoint, is required to follow city code. 

The entire city code can be found here at https://bit.ly/4qFcPAi  

YMCA officials told the Daily Bee that there are several measures put in place to create a safe environment, including continuous sex offender registry checks for all members and guests, mandated reporting of abuse and incidents and child abuse prevention training for all staff and high-access volunteers. 

The locker room gender issue that came up recently at the Sandpoint YMCA is a situation that legislators are going to face head-on, Idaho Sen. Jim Woodward said. 

"I’ve spoken with representatives from the YMCA, city of Sandpoint, and the Lake Pend Oreille School District and know that solutions are being implemented," Woodward said. "We are meeting over the weekend to establish a path forward that is community-driven and upholds our laws."