Earlier this month, Julie Jaman, an 80-year-old resident of Port Townsend, Washington, was banned from her local community pool. Her crime was to ask a male to leave the female change room. Just moments after she told Clementine Adams to “get out of here,” she was told by YMCA aquatics manager, Rowen DeLuna, “You’re discriminating and you can’t use the pool anymore and I’m calling the police.”

There was no signage indicating women and girls should be prepared to encounter males in their change room, though Julie was later informed that “Pride posters” should indicate as much.

Erin Hawkins, communications manager for the pool, claimed Julie was “permanently suspended from the Mountain View Pool due to her repeatedly violating our Code of Conduct, specifically, using disrespectful words or gestures toward YMCA staff or others; using abusive, harassing and/or obscene language or gestures toward YMCA staff or others.”

None of this is true.

Meghan Murphy speaks with Julie from her home in Port Townsend.

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