When the New York Daily News reported that several members of Reebok Sports Club on the Upper West Side of New York City were complaining about alleged sexual activity in the men's wet area, it focused attention on an issue that continues to plague gay clients of the city's gyms.
A gay man, who wished to remain anonymous, contacted the New York Blade after he was escorted out of the David Barton Gym in Chelsea after a security guard allegedly reported he was engaging in sexual activity with another man in the shower. The man insisted someone in an adjacent shower stall reached into his stall and grabbed him.
Nevertheless, he said management cancelled his membership without allowing him to present his side of the story. He added that gym employees routinely enter the men's locker room and watch people shower.
David Barton Gym, which the Blade claimed has a long history as a cruising spot, has marketed itself to the gay community. The gym has a branch in South Beach, and David Barton and wife Suzanne Bartsch are well known Manhattan's gay social world. A branch is set to open in Chicago in 2005.
The New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene ( DOHMH ) has shut down a number of parties at gay bars in the East Village in recent weeks. Promoters such as Daniel Nardicio said the agency cited complaints about patrons engaging in sex.
Other East Village businesses such as the Cock and the Boiler Room have stopped throwing parties. This comes on the heels of a court-ordered shutdown of the Wall Street Sauna in the Financial District in July after DOHMH officials and the city argued it was a public health risk.