Right, here’s everything that influencer said about her gym after backtracking trans inclusion

Natalee Barnett, known as Nataleebfitness online, is a fitness influencer who initially found TikTok notoriety when she spoke about her intention to open a women’s only gym that was inclusive of trans women.

Nataleebfitness is currently under fire on Twitter after she posted a statement explaining that her gym The Girls Spot would no longer be inclusive of trans women despite earlier claiming they would. She has since made her Twitter private but here’s everything she’s said in the past and why some people on TikTok and Twitter are really angry.

Nataleebfitness was very supportive of trans inclusion initially

accepting donations from people who were promised a trans inclusive gym and then pulling the rug from under them is certainly bold. but she’s currently in the fuck around stage and she’s gonna find out when all those fines for violating the equality act come through https://t.co/cRkgQcZRZU pic.twitter.com/aX9sFrqwAq

— sasha (@sashaeats4) March 10, 2025

When Nataleebfitness first started planning her safe space for women almost five years ago, she spoke a lot about the ethos of the brand and how important it was to protect women. At the same time, she said trans women would be included because they face the same issues.

“Respectfully, if you have a problem with trans women attending my gym then you can find another gym to train at. I have discussed this several times before, trans women are women and also a minority that needs to be protected. Please keep your transphobia away,” she said in a resurfaced tweet from 2021.

In a TikTok post in 2021, she further added that “of course” trans women are included at her women’s only gym because she doesn’t see “trans women as trans women, I see them as women. So 1000% trans women are welcome at my gym.”

In another TikTok, she called for LGBTQ+ people to talk to her about the various labels in the community so she could better include them in her women’s only gym.

@nataleebfitness

Reply to @bxlmerr please comment!💗 #fyp #womensonlygym #lgbtq #nonbinary

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In the earliest days of The Girls Spot, Natalee often spoke about the abuse and harassment women suffer from cis-men at the gym, something trans people also experience, and yet, she has now backtracked on her earlier comments.

She’s since backtracked her statements, stating her gym is for ‘biological women’

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Nataleebfitness responds to gym backlash #itv #itvnews #gym #nataleebfitness

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Last week, Nataleebfitness revealed that her dream had finally become a reality and The Girls Spot was set to open in 2025. Shortly after, she sparked a huge backlash on Twitter when she revealed the new less-inclusive approach.

“Addressing my tweet from 2021. The Girls Spot operates as a female-only gym for biological women, tackling harassment, sexual assault & violence that women face inside the gym. The tweet circling was made 4 years ago and I was in the very early stages of creating a concept,” she wrote.

In a video attached to the statement, which was also shared on TikTok where it amassed over 45 million views, she further explained: “The Girls Spot gym exists as a safe space for women because women are facing sexual assault and sexual violence inside of gyms. The meaning of The Girls Spot gym is now entirely different.”

Further explaining the new direction of the business, she noted how alongside regular gym equipment The Girls Spot would be teaching “self-defence classes, Muay Thai, boxing classes” and workshops and activities around “PCOS and training on your menstrual cycle, all of which occur to biological women.”

“The majority of the women who are seeking my women’s only gym are coming here because they have faced some level of gym intimidation or sexual violence and assault that has been perpetrated by men,” she added. “As the owner of the gym, it is very important to be clear how my women’s only gym will be operating, it will be operating as a single-sex space for biological women.”

“I believe trans women and other individuals deserve safe spaces too, that hasn’t changed,” she added, with one person suggesting she add “but it won’t be here” at the end.

In another video posted to her since locked TikTok account, Natalee explained that the decision came after a long period of hard thinking.

“If you are truly a follower of mine you know that I am not transphobic, I believe in true inclusive safe spaces for everyone,” she said, adding that she understands the pushback but didn’t think it would grow this much.

What are people saying?

Whelp. This aged well…

Trans women also deal with 90% of the issues she’s mentioned. https://t.co/SuCyTSC5ZI pic.twitter.com/Pgp7yDBW60

— 🌸 𝓢𝓾𝓰𝓪𝓻 🌸 GSP (@sugarGSP) March 9, 2025

Some people on TikTok and Twitter are raging because some see Nataleebfitness as having built her brand on the back of inclusivity.

One person wrote on Twitter: “Kike transgender women don’t also experience sexual harassment/assault from men in the gym (and in general). like alright now.”

Besides a clear and obvious anger at the inclusivity backtracking some people have also questioned how it could work in the real world. By her reasoning, does that mean that big burly trans men can join the gym because they are “biologically female” as she put it?

Can’t wait to come and use your gym as a safe space diva xoxox https://t.co/tSv8qWvlvQ pic.twitter.com/x45WKkJ8y6

— zac (@chicken_burger9) March 9, 2025

“Apart from the very disappointing transphobia, starting a women’s only gym and then excluding trans women is a recipe for disaster. what do the logistics ACTUALLY look like? Checking private parts at the door??? when muscular cis women who don’t look ‘woman enough’ want to come,” someone wrote.

Others have even questioned if she could be breaking the 2010 Equality Act which protects against discrimination based on gender identity, but single-sex spaces can still legally exist.

“There are circumstances where a lawfully established separate or single-sex service provider can prevent, limit or modify trans people’s access to the service. This is allowed under the Act,” the EHRC stated.

“However, limiting or modifying access to, or excluding a trans person from, the separate or single-sex service of the gender in which they present might be unlawful if you cannot show such action is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. This applies whether the person has a Gender Recognition Certificate or not.”

Natalee Barnett has been approached for comment.

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Featured image credit: Natalee Barnett