Former MSNBC host Joy Reid recently shared her discomfort with transgender-identifying biological men using women’s locker rooms. Speaking on her podcast, Reid This Reid That, she described how she would feel if she encountered a naked man in women’s facilities—and admitted she would “freak out.”
The conversation took place during an episode with journalist Jacque Reid, where they discussed a recent incident at a Gold’s Gym. The episode involved a black woman named Tish Hyman, who was reportedly asked to leave the gym after a biological male, identifying as a transgender woman, entered the women’s locker room. According to Jacque Reid, Hyman described the person as a “grown man with a big penis.”
Joy Reid recalled her own experiences going to the gym while working at MSNBC, now rebranded as MS NOW. She said she would always choose to change in a private room instead of a communal space. She explained it wasn’t just about privacy but also about feeling uncomfortable with what she saw in the women’s locker rooms—mentioning women walking around with exposed, sagging breasts. Reid admitted that even that was unsettling, but seeing a penis in the women’s locker room would be far more alarming.
Reid emphasized that her concerns were not meant to single out transgender individuals but came from a place of personal discomfort. She said if she ever saw a naked man in the women’s area, she would “go to management” and raise the issue, highlighting the difference in her mind between women being naked and a man being present in those spaces.
These remarks come amid Joy Reid’s ongoing commentary on transgender issues. She has previously condemned Republican actions against transgender people as a “nationwide crusade” she called “dangerous and evil.” In December 2024, Reid also likened efforts to block minors from gender reassignment surgery to “Nazi Germany,” stirring significant controversy.
This latest discussion adds another layer to the conversation around gender identity and public spaces—a topic that continues to spark debate nationwide. Joy Reid’s comments reveal deep personal concerns about privacy and safety, even as she maintains support for transgender rights in other areas.
