Franciscan Omni Health & Fitness is apologizing to a same-sex couple from Highland after they were initially denied a family membership.
Marci Crozier, administrative director of Health Promotions, said that the fitness center “will offer the spousal discount for all legally married couples” who inquire about membership.
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“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or confusion this situation may have caused,” she said in a statement.
Nikki LeRose said the issue arose when she went to the Schererville fitness center over the weekend to buy a membership for her wife Kelsea’s birthday.
“I went in there to fill out an application and the guy asked ‘What’s your husband’s name?’ ” LeRose, a Hammond teacher, said. “I said ‘It’s actually for my wife,’ and then he told me that the nuns will reject the application because we’re a same-sex couple. I was told we would have to buy two single memberships.
“It’s only a difference of $26, but there’s still kind of a shock that it happened, and I’m not sure that it’s even legal.”
LeRose and her wife were married in Illinois in April 2014.
“The guy was really nice about it, and I told him I don’t take it badly,” LeRose said. “But we get health insurance as a same-sex couple through the Hammond schools. I told him that signing up for separate memberships is kind of taking a step backward.”
LeRose said an Omni representative reached out to her Tuesday to apologize, which she appreciated.
“Based on the response I received when I tried to purchase a membership, I was surprised at such a quick change in procedure,” LeRose wrote in an email. “Because of this, I am curious if this change would have occurred so quickly had I not pursued this further. With that being said, I appreciate the reflection of Omni on this issue and the shift in corporate policy for greater inclusion. On a personal note, this issue was not about saving money on a family membership; it is about being treated as an equal member of society that now have certain legal rights under the law.”
Since this summer’s same-sex marriage ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, Crozier said Franciscan Omni Health & Fitness has been in the process of updating its policies and procedures. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that same-sex marriage is legal nationwide, which followed a 2014 ruling from a federal court in Indiana that struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.
LeRose said she’s still considering a membership.
“I applaud the growth of Omni when it comes to allowing legally married same-sex couples to obtain a family membership,” LeRose said. “At this time, we are remaining cautiously optimistic as Omni further works through this procedural change with the possibility of considering a membership in the future once Omni has fully embraced an equal stance for all their patrons.”