Fitness influencer Joey Swoll is facing mounting criticism for what many advocates and former supporters describe as a deliberate escalation in targeting transgender women in gym spaces. The backlash intensified after Swoll publicly singled out a transgender woman known online as Victoria, repeatedly emphasizing her transgender identity and her presence on OnlyFans while claiming responsibility for her being banned from a gym.
Critics argue that Swoll’s handling of the situation goes far beyond condemning an alleged locker room policy violation and instead reflects a pattern of selective outrage aimed almost exclusively at trans women.
A Named Target and a Public Pile-On
Unlike past gym-related content, Swoll has repeatedly named and focused on Victoria, encouraging his large audience to scrutinize her personal life. In multiple posts, Swoll highlighted that Victoria has an OnlyFans account, a detail critics say is irrelevant to gym policy enforcement but highly effective at stoking moral panic and harassment.
Advocates note that Swoll has never applied this same framing to cisgender women. Cis women who create adult content, fitness influencers who monetize sexualized imagery, or gym-goers accused of inappropriate filming have historically been criticized by Swoll for behavior alone, not for who they are or how they earn money outside the gym.
In Victoria’s case, critics say the emphasis on her OnlyFans presence functions as character assassination. By repeatedly foregrounding her transgender identity and sex work, Swoll frames her as inherently suspect, reinforcing stereotypes that trans women are predatory or dangerous simply for existing in women’s spaces.
A Double Standard Critics Say Is Impossible to Ignore
Trans advocates argue the disparity in Swoll’s response exposes a clear double standard. Gym rules already prohibit filming in locker rooms, regardless of who violates them. Enforcement does not require public shaming, doxxing-adjacent behavior, or identity-based commentary.
Yet Swoll’s content did not stop at alleged conduct. Instead, he consistently framed the situation around Victoria being transgender, implying that her identity itself was part of the issue. Critics say this sends a broader message that trans women require heightened suspicion, while cisgender women are treated as individuals whose actions stand alone.
From the California Locker Room Incident to a Broader Campaign
Observers trace this shift to Swoll’s involvement in the viral California locker room controversy at a gym formerly operating as Gold’s Gym. In that case, a Black woman confronted a transgender woman in a locker room, and despite reporting indicating no policy violation occurred, Swoll amplified the incident and framed it as evidence that women’s concerns were being ignored due to trans inclusion.
Since then, critics say Swoll’s content has increasingly centered trans women as the focal point of gym “controversies,” often treating isolated or disputed incidents as proof of a systemic problem. What once appeared to be gym etiquette commentary now reads, to many, as participation in a broader anti-trans culture war narrative.
Monetizing Moral Panic
Former supporters argue Swoll’s pivot is not accidental. Videos involving trans women consistently generate higher engagement, angrier comment sections, and wider media circulation. That attention coincides with Swoll’s efforts to reposition and market his brand, raising accusations that controversy has become a business strategy.
By presenting himself as a neutral defender of “common sense” while repeatedly amplifying narratives that cast trans women as threats, Swoll benefits from plausible deniability. He can claim concern for safety while his audience floods comment sections with harassment and exclusionary rhetoric.
Real-World Consequences
Advocates warn that this kind of selective targeting has consequences beyond social media. High-profile callouts influence how gym staff enforce policies, how other members behave, and whether trans women feel safe accessing public fitness spaces at all.
For Victoria, the impact has been deeply personal. She has been publicly named, scrutinized, and reduced to her identity and online work rather than treated as a gym member entitled to privacy and due process. Critics argue that no cisgender woman accused of a policy violation would face the same level of personal exposure.
The Bottom Line
Joey Swoll built his platform by condemning bullying and advocating respect in gyms. Critics now argue he is doing the opposite, legitimizing suspicion and hostility toward an already vulnerable group while benefiting from the outrage it produces.
As backlash grows, Swoll faces a question from former fans and observers alike: whether his current trajectory reflects genuine concern for gym safety or a calculated decision to trade inclusivity for clicks, controversy, and profit.
