It's gross! Janitors hit Equinox gym sex--5 NYC gyms cited

'Several disgusted janitors are dishing dirt on the Equinox fitness center chain, claiming in a lawsuit filed yesterday that the upscale gyms are used as sleazy gay sex clubs.

• The 6 janitors charge in the Manhattan Supreme Court suit that they're fed up with cleaning up after male gym members engage in "explicit sexual activity."

The janitors cited five Manhattan clubs, including the chain's flagship gym in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle, as places where "lewd behavior" is rampant in the men's locker rooms, showers, saunas and steam rooms.

• When the maintenance men complained to management, they were "ridiculed" and subjected to "hostile" treatment, the lawsuit claims.

Equinox officials called the charges "frivolous" and deemed unfounded by separate investigation by federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"It's just not an issue here at Equinox," said the chain's Chief Operating Officer Scott Rosen.

But janitors Jaisiin Bethea, Freddy Gonzalez, Jason Guishard, Omar Harris, Alex Mass and Rodney Vanterpool say they have frequently interrupted members having sex.

• The janitors, who have all resigned from Equinox, are asking for unspecified damages and arguing their civil and human rights were violated.

Other Equinox gyms cited in the suit are located at Wall St. and Broadway, Greenwich Ave. and W. 12th St., E. 63rd St. and Lexington Ave., and Murray and Nassau Sts.'

• From the NY Daily News, 1/4/07, by Barbara Ross & Bill Hutchinson

P.S. These really were clean, safe, beautiful places when they opened a few years ago. And of course very expensive. The Time Warner location mentioned is reported to be where Jerry Seinfeld first spotted his lovely wife who was at the time married to someone else. sm

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