A Gold Coast pole dance studio owner is challenging a discrimination claim after refusing a biological male’s request to join women-only classes. The dispute is presented as a test of whether businesses can maintain female-only spaces, particularly where customers may expect privacy and single-sex participation.

The claimant is reportedly seeking up to $30,000 through the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, arguing the exclusion was discriminatory. The studio owner says the decision concerns safeguarding women’s boundaries rather than personal animosity, while the case could clarify how Queensland law balances protections based on sex and gender identity.