(Daily Mail) A Washington women’s spa, where nudity is compulsory, has been ordered by a judge to admit pre-op trans women with penises after an activist complained when the owner tried to ban them.
The Olympus Spa had attempted to sue the Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC) after being ordered to change their rules.
Trans woman Haven Wilvich had attempted to apply to join the Korean spa but was denied, alleging the spa told her ‘transgender women without surgery are not welcome’ and complained to the commission.
Now, a Washington District Court has dismissed the lawsuit filed by the spa and upheld the original ruling by the WSHRC. The Pacific Northwest state is one of several Dem-run areas where trans people are permitted to use facilities which align with their gender without question.
In her judgement, District Court Judge Barbara Jacobs Rothstein upheld the ruling made by the WSHRC and said that the measures taken to the prevent the spa from having a female-only policy had been lawful.
Haven Wilvich, pictured here, had attempted to apply to join the spa but was denied
Wilvich claimed the spa said ‘transgender women without surgery are not welcome’ and complained to the commission
In her initial complaint to the commission, Wilvich said she was a transgender woman who was ‘biologically male’ and had not undergone sex reassignment surgery.
Wilvich alleged that she had gone to the spa in January 2020 in search of a service but was discriminated against.
She claims that Olympus Spa told her that ‘transgender women without surgery are not welcome because it could make other customers and staff uncomfortable.’
In March 2021, the WSHRC had served the spa owner Myoon Woon Lee and the spa’s President Sun Lee with a Notice of Complaint of Discrimination.
The commission asked them to respond to the claims made by Wilvich, with Sun Lee releasing a statement standing by their decision.
Lee explained that Olympus was a family-owned ‘women’s Korean traditional health spa’ and noted that nudity was required for certain treatments.
He wrote: ‘We firmly believe it is essential for the safety, legal protection, and well-being of our customers and employees that we maintain adherence to this adaptation of a females-only rule.’
Lee explained that Olympus was a family-owned ‘women’s Korean traditional health spa’ and noted that nudity was required for certain treatments
Wilvich alleged that she had gone to the spa in January 2020 in search of a service but was discriminated against.
The spa disputed the Wilvich’s claims, asserting they had no documentation showing she had ever applied to enter the facility.
