SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A group of transgender women said they will attempt to attend “women’s night” at a San Francisco bathhouse on Tuesday despite the spa’s policy prohibiting people who were assigned a male gender at birth.
Archimedes Banya is a Russian bathhouse on the shores of the San Francisco Bay. The bathhouse offers spa services inspired by ancient traditions of Greek saunas, Turkish hammams, and Russian banyas.
Archimedes Banya’s owners said they strive to create an environment “where everyone can relax, restore, and feel supported.”
The owners said they are committed to honoring both the needs of religious and cultural communities who require gender-segregated spaces, as well as providing a gender-affirming space for both transgender and cis-gender patrons.
Banya holds two monthly events. One of called “Inclusive Women’s Night,” and it’s open to “all individuals who identify as women, regardless of sex assigned at birth or gender expression,” the spa’s website states. Inclusive Women’s Night is designed to be a welcoming and affirming space for all women.
The second monthly event is called, “Cultural & Religious Women’s Night.” It is designed to provide a space “that aligns with the needs of women from religious or cultural backgrounds who observe practices requiring a female-only environment based on sex assigned at birth,” the spa’s website writes.
On all other days, Archimedes Banya is open to everyone for health, relaxation, and connection.
Members of the transgender community and allies said they will gather at the spa Tuesday night to protest what they are calling ” transphobic” policies. Organizers claim that the bathhouse’s owner wrote an email stating, “We decided to restrict trans women with men’s parts.”
Organizers told KRON4, “Transphobic and transmedicalist ideologies are discriminatory. Tonight, trans patrons will attempt to access services at the spa. If denied, they are prepared to pursue legal action for discrimination. The trans community refuses to accept partial inclusion or segregation.”
The bathhouse was recently hit by a wave of negative Yelp reviews from people who expressed outrage over discrimination.
Archimedes Banya also hosts monthly “Men Only Nights” that only allows patrons who were assigned a male gender at birth. So far, no controversy has stirred over men’s nights.
The spa’s website states, “We are deeply committed to fostering a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive space for all members of our community.”
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A group of transgender women said they will attempt to attend “women’s night” at a San Francisco bathhouse on Tuesday despite the spa’s policy prohibiting people who were assigned a male gender at birth. Archimedes Banya is a Russian bathhouse on the shores of the San Francisco Bay. The bathhouse offers […]
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