Richard Simmons Transgender Rumors Hit After Hospital Stay: Rep Reacts To ‘Fiona’
Richard Simmons transgender rumors have hit the internet after he disappeared from the public eye for nearly two years, only to come back into the limelight with a report that he had been hospitalized. According to TMZ, Simmons was rushed to the hospital last week after showcasing some “bizarre” behavior. The 67-year-old fitness guru was released a short time later and took to Facebook to let his fans know that he was okay.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love and concern after hearing I was in the hospital. I was dehydrated and needed some fluids and now I am feeling great! Summer is here – drink plenty of liquids. Big hugs and kisses for caring,” he wrote.
Richard Simmons transgender rumors picked up major steam on Tuesday. A couple of outlets reported that Simmons had begun gender-reassignment surgery. It was reported that he has stayed out of the public eye because he wanted to go through this transition privately before introducing himself to the world as “Fiona.”
Shocking rumors say Richard Simmons is transitioning into a woman. https://t.co/u5Ug1BCqKL pic.twitter.com/waWgCM5DFf
— ExtraTV (@extratv) June 8, 2016
According to People Magazine, however, Richard Simmons is not becoming a woman. His rep, Tom Estey, released a statement confirming that Fiona isn’t actually a person and that Simmons has chosen to live his life privately for other reasons. Estey also echoed Simmons’ statement, saying that his client was hospitalized for dehydration.
“It’s not true. He is not transitioning into a woman. He has decided to live quietly the last few years. He had knee surgery a few years ago and has a bum knee. He is still on Twitter and Facebook and works behind the scenes continuing to inspire and motivate people to lose weight. When he decides to come back, he will come back,” said Simmons’ rep, Tom Estey.
“[Richard] was in the hospital over the weekend for dehydration and was out the next day. He’s a human being. He was in the public eye for over three decades, but he deserves his privacy. He should be able to have a private life. He just needed a break. He is still taking care of the people who need his help,” Estey continued.
Richard Simmons Says Recent Hospitalization Was Due to Dehydration https://t.co/M5JFfe0sXN pic.twitter.com/BD6Ua116yd
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 6, 2016
The Richard Simmons transgender rumors started just like those of Caitlyn Jenner. It was a tabloid that made a claim the former athlete wanted to be a woman and that the transition had already started. Now, over a year later, the world has met Caitlyn. As you can probably imagine, it is easy for many people to believe stories of Richard Simmons transitioning because it is a story they have heard before.
Any feminine-looking photos that you may see online aren’t new and seem to just be part of Simmons’ vibrant personality.
However, Richard Simmons’ rep made things very clear: Richard isn’t transitioning into a woman.
A person who identifies as transgender goes through a lot of emotions during transition. If Richard Simmons was, in fact, transitioning, privacy would be key.
At this time, Simmons’ health is what is important, and fans are happy to know that he is doing okay. Whatever Simmons decides to do with his personal life is his business.
[Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images]
