Landmark Ruling: NJ Korean Spa Forced to Allow Trans Clients in Locker Rooms Matching Gender Identity

Korean Spa Must Change Policy After Lawsuit Over Locker Room Access and ‘Boy Parts’ Question

the staff of the Ridgewopod blog

Palisades Park NJ, a prominent Korean spa in New Jersey, King Spa & Sauna in Palisades Park, has been forced to dramatically change its policies to comply with the state’s anti-discrimination laws. The change comes as part of a consent order settlement in a lawsuit filed by a transgender woman who was denied access to the women’s facilities and subjected to invasive questioning about her body.

The lawsuit, filed in Bergen County Superior Court by Alexandra Goebert, shines a spotlight on the ongoing battle for equitable access to public accommodations for transgender individuals, particularly in sex-segregated spaces like traditional Korean Jjimjilbang (bathhouses), which typically require nudity.

The Incident: Denial and Invasive Questioning

On August 14, 2022, Goebert visited the King Spa. Despite presenting a valid government-issued driver’s license identifying her gender as female, she was initially given a men’s wristband.

The situation escalated when staff repeatedly questioned her identity. According to court filings, a manager asked Goebert, “Have you changed your front?” and then clarified by asking if she still had “boy parts.” Though Goebert identified herself as a woman, she was explicitly blocked from the women’s side of the spa.

When Goebert cited the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), the manager allegedly prioritized the comfort of “other guests” over her legal right to access the services she had paid for. After two hours of dispute, Goebert was forced to leave without using the facilities.

The Legal Outcome: Policy Overhaul and Training

The case concluded with a binding consent order, affirming that New Jersey’s anti-discrimination law requires public accommodations to treat clients in accordance with their gender identity or expression.

The settlement mandates a sweeping overhaul of King Spa’s operations, including:

• Gender-Affirming Access: The spa must now permit transgender individuals to use the sex-segregated facilities (like locker rooms, saunas, and hot tubs) that align with their gender identity, regardless of their surgical status.

• Mandatory Training: The spa must implement comprehensive non-discrimination policies and hire an independent consultant to certify that every employee receives training on gender identity and expression.

• Public Display: The new policy must be prominently displayed at the front desk and posted at the entrance of all sex-segregated areas, ensuring all clients and staff are aware of the legal requirement.

The updated policy is already visible on the spa’s website, stating: “You may use the locker room that matches the gender identity on your government- or state-issued photo ID.”

A Win for the NJ Law Against Discrimination

This ruling reinforces the strength of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD), which broadly prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or expression in public accommodations. For a major establishment like King Spa—marketed as the largest Korean spa and sauna on the East Coast—this settlement sets a clear and public precedent for businesses across the state regarding transgender rights.

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