In Lawsuit Against National Enquirer, Richard Simmons Lists Why He's Not Trans

In May, fitness guru Richard Simmons filed a defamation lawsuit against the National Enquirer, Radar Online and their parent company American Media for an article that suggested the flamboyant fitness guru was in the process of becoming a woman. On Thursday, Simmons filed new legal documents in the ongoing case, giving the top five reasons why he's not transgender.

Simmons, 69, filed his suit after the National Enquirer published a story called "Richard Simmons: He's Now A Woman." The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages as well as an apology and retraction for stories published in June 2016 and March 2017 in the National Enquirer and RadarOnline.

In his new legal docs, Simmons lists reasons why the tabloid's report on him transitioning to a woman are wrong, TMZ reports.

"- I am male.
- I am not transgender.
- I have never sought nor obtained any medical treatment or procedure designed to transition from male to female.
- I have never had breast implant surgery.
- I never consulted with any medical professional regarding sex reassignment surgery."

America Media is fighting back, asking the lawsuit to be thrown out because saying someone is transgender or is going through gender transition is "not defamatory under modern jurisprudence." In a statement to ABC News, America Media said the company "stands by its reporting."

"It's the height of sophistry to claim to be a supporter of LGBTQ rights, yet also claim to be defamed by being identified as transgender. But that shouldn't surprise anyone who's noted Mr. Simmons refusal to identify with or openly support gay and lesbian rights over the course of his entire career," the spokesperson said in a statement. "AMI stands by its reporting, which was not only supported by a lengthy on-the-record taped interview with Mr. Oliveira, it was also supported by photographs and videotape (which AMI possesses but did not publish), and was consistent with prior reporting about Mr. Simmons' lifestyle. We look forward to litigating Mr. Simmons' claims in a public court of law."

Nevertheless, Simmons' attorney Neville Johnson spoke with ABC News about the case, saying the National Enquirer "has gone out of its way to try and humiliate and embarrass and slander" the workout icon.

"They have hyped this into a whole other story with all these other details that are simply wrong and false," Johnson said.

The tabloid use Mauro Oliveira, Simmons' former masseur, as their source for the claims that he was transitioning. Oliveira reportedly sold photos of Simmons dressed in women's clothing to a media agency, which appeared in the National Enquirer's story, according to ABC News.

Simmons' legal team filed a signed declaration from Oliveira, who says he never said the "Sweating to the Oldies" star was transitioning.

"I was shocked and disturbed after discovering that the National Enquirer and Radar Online published cover stories claiming that Richard Simmons has transitioned into a woman and included the photos I supplied," Oliveira stated. "Although I may have said that Richard Simmons's chest looks like the chest of someone who might be on hormones. I never stated that Richard Simmons is now a woman, had breast implants, or had sex-change surgery."

Johnson told ABC News that Simmons, who has made headlines recently for vanishing from the public spotlight - even sparking a controversial podcast, is "doing fine."

"He just is private and he'd like to stay that way," Johnson said. "If he has to come forward and testify and have his body examined, so be it."

The next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 30.