Nude Korean spa in New Jersey ordered to open female spaces to transgender guests after lawsuit
King Spa, a nude, Jjimjilbang-style wellness facility in Palisades Park, New Jersey, has been ordered to implement 'gender identity-friendly' policies and to remove sex-segregated facilities so people of any gender can use all amenities in the spa even if their bodies do not align with 'stereotypical expectations,' according to a consent order reviewed by Reduxx. The decision comes after Alexandra 'Allie' Goebert, a 35-year-old transgender woman, launched a discrimination lawsuit against the spa in 2022 after visiting the location in August that year with a female friend. The spa is known as a wellness facility that requires nudity in some areas, including in male and female bathing areas like tubs, pools, and showers where swimsuits are not permitted. It is modeled on Jjimjilbang - sex-segregated bath houses in Korea - and offers both monthly and day passes to customers. But in the Garden State transgender people are allowed to use all spas and the facilities that align with their gender without question.
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King Spa: a nude Jjimjilbang-inspired wellness facility
King Spa, located in Palisades Park, New Jersey, is known as a wellness facility that requires nudity in some areas, including in male and female bathing areas like tubs, pools, and showers where swimsuits are not permitted. It is modeled on Jjimjilbang - sex-segregated bath houses in Korea - and offers both monthly and day passes to customers.
The incident: Goebert’s visit and misgendering controversy
Goebert, who uses she/her pronouns, was granted entry to the spa after receiving a wristband that gave her access to the men's locker room despite presenting a driver's license identifying her as female, according to the lawsuit obtained by the Daily Mail. The US Army Veteran and law school graduate from New York immediately complained, telling spa staffers she was a 'transgender woman,' leading to an employee giving Goebert access to a restricted women's area. The manager, Youn Park, then asked Goebert if she still had 'boy parts,' to which she replied that she did. Goebert was then kicked out of the all female room and told to move to a male locker room. But again Goebert protested and said she wouldn't feel comfortable in there because she does not identify as a male. Park then told Goebert she was only allowed to use the women's area if she put a bathing suit on, but the customer refused stating she did not have one and that the spa was violating the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, the filing stated. About two weeks after her experience at King Spa, Goebert filed a complaint against the company with New Jersey's Department of Law and Public Safety. In the complaint, Goebert's legal team, headed by Costello & Silverman, LLC attorney Miriam Edelstein, argued that the spa 'misgendered' her that day. Meanwhile, the company's lawyers said when Goebert came to the facility in the past she presented staff with an ID that listed her as a male, the filing detailed. 'When the agent, servant, and employee of [the spa] saw that the license indicating female and recognizing that this was the same individual who had utilized the male facilities, the question was posed as to has the front changed,' the company's legal team said. The US Army Veteran and law school graduate from New York uses she/her pronouns and is described as a female on her ID. Do you think this dispute was handled fairly?
Settlement and training obligations
They add: A jury trial was initially set for August 11, but King Spa agreed on a settlement with Goebert. A 'separate, confidential settlement agreement between the parties' was also made in which the spa agreed to compensate Goebert for her 'distress,' an August 28 filing reviewed by Reduxx stated. The recent ruling also determined that every employee will have to participate in at least an hour training by an independent consultant who specializes in 'gender identity and gender expression,' per the legal filing. The spa will also have to refer to an employee handbook from here on out that details its new policy on 'non-discrimination' that specifically refers to 'sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.' The consent order also stated that Goebert's counsel will receive confirmation once every spa employee has completed training. A list of their names will also be provided.
Context: Washington Olympus Spa case shows broader trend
This case comes after an all-female Korean spa in Washington was also ordered to change their rules by a judge and admit pre-op transgender women after activist Haven Wilvich (pictured) complained when the owner tried to ban them. Wilvich claimed the spa said 'transgender women without surgery are not welcome' and complained to the commission. Olympus Spa had attempted to sue the Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC) after being ordered to change their rules. The family-owned spa, which has a branch on the outskirts of Seattle and one in Tacoma, is also modeled on Jjimjilbang. But a Washington District Court dismissed the lawsuit filed by the spa and upheld the original ruling by the WSHRC. Like New Jersey, the Pacific Northwest state permits trans people to use facilities that align with their gender.
Comment and response
The Daily Mail contacted Edelstein and King Spa for comment.
