How my gym views women

[uberdaddy]

@debyfabienne I'm a powerlifter. I currently go to a pretty chill gym. I'm interested in joining a PL gym with better equipment and coaching. One in town is holding a "Boobs and Barbells" meet for women only. Complete with pink cursive script.

Can we fucking not, 2023?

 

[hiskid8883]

@uberdaddy Is it a charity event/raise money for breast cancer research? I've seen some meets/events, etc use a similar name for breast cancer fundraisers. There's apparently a nonprofit called Barbells for boobs that provides funding for screening/mammos, maybe an event through them

 

[kate22]

@debyfabienne I’m in a small town in China, and we have the same airbrushed photos! But at my gym they have slogans in Chinese saying things like “a skinny life is the start of happiness.”

 

[debyfabienne]

@kate22 That is far worse

 

[testoffaith]

@kate22 Ugh!!!!

 

[mellogurly]

@debyfabienne Oh my god. Thank you for bringing this out! My gym (in germany) has women with teeeeeny tiny shorts EVERYWHERE. I hate it so much. It reeks testestorone everywhere even without the photos but photos are like the cherry on top

 

[dawn16]

@debyfabienne I think they’re trying to imply that women are stronger than men/are professionals in this field, while men are weaker. But I think it missed the mark with the hot scantily clad woman picking up after men, and I can totally see why this bothers you. Especially in an atmosphere that can often tend to be unwelcoming to women.

 

[isoter]

@dawn16 It’s meant to shame men because it’s making fun of how they’re weaker than a woman and that’s the worst thing possible right?

I appreciate your optimism though.

 

[dawn16]

@isoter That woman looks very strong.

I stand by what I said. They tried to do a thing and it was tone deaf af/a swing and a miss

 

[rbrbrb2]

@debyfabienne There’s a floor cone at my gym that says “Men at work” that really annoys me every time I see it. The staff are about 50/50 m/f and gym goers are probably 60/40 men/women. It’s just not necessary.

 

[latech1113]

@rbrbrb2 Bring a Sharpie and write "Wo" next to "men" when nobody's looking.

 

[dynamitex]

@latech1113

https://imgur.com/KqzgaRs

 

[lotusgirl]

@debyfabienne I don’t understand all the people here saying OP misunderstood / is too sensitive. Irrespective of how you view it, the signs are still sexist.

I’ve been fortunate that the gym I go to is pretty welcoming - we have a small women’s only space with some actual weights (not just cardio machines) and I do see women lifting on a regular basis though they are in the minority. It helps that the gym managers have been women and there are a few women trainers who are seriously strong and built themselves. I feel quite comfortable using the weights even in the general / unisex section. I kind of took for granted how good my gym was until I came to this sub and saw others complaining about lack of support for women in their gyms.

 

[ronal2dduff]

@debyfabienne I do agree it seems pretty sexist! That being said, maybe I’m being naive but I thought the joke of the flyer is “if you’re too “weak” to put away your weights, a woman will for you”. Like implying that women are stronger or whatever?

 

[petros1978]

@ronal2dduff There’s an interesting point of discussion to be made here: some folks interpret this as “women are strong enough to do what you can’t,” and then another interpretation, “are you so weak that someone with inferior physical strength can accomplish this rerack, but you can’t?”

I (and likely OP) find myself viewing this as the second interpretation, though I do think both interpretations boil down to making a man feel embarrassed that a woman is on-par with him in the gym.

With that said, I can totally see how OP is viewing these posters as sexist in addition to the brochures.

 

[ronal2dduff]

@petros1978 Right, like it still is sexist because the joke they’re using the idea of a woman being better/stronger/etc than you to shame men lol. But I bet the people who made it think it’s progressive if you asked

 

[rox485]

@ronal2dduff I know this gyms marketing and posters as I had been training there for some years. I'd always understand it like that. The girls will help you pick up your weights if you're "to weak". There's no sexist commentary behind it.

 

[isoter]

@rox485 Then why specify “girls” versus “someone stronger than you”?

 

[rox485]

Also have to add: I also remember the little training brochures you're talking about OP. In contrary to the posters I've always found them very sexist and ridiculing for women. It's true (sadly) that most women only want to train for false beauty standards (e.g.. legs, booty) so you can say the gym does a pretty got job at targeting exactly that customers, but I've always been disappointed about how women who lift to get stronger were met with unwelcomed commentaries about their muscular bodies. At least this was my case when I trained there. "You should stop training arms, or you'll get even more manlier".

 

[velvety777]

@rox485

. It's true (sadly) that most women only want to train for false beauty standards

I'm sorry where did you get this idea