Gyms and Women only sections. Sexism or not?

Cian92 · 16-01-2012 10:21AM #1

My gym has the regular unisex gym, along with another gym for women only. Women don't pay anything extra to use this gym. Do people think it is a double standard on the sexism front, if a gym provides a womens only section and not a men only section too?

Often during peak times the main gym fills up and you have to wait for a machine, but if you are female you can just go to the womens only part and find yourself a machine no bother.

I don't think it is fair that females get access to more equipment for the same price and that there is no equivalent facility for men.

What do ye all think? (Before I write my letter complaining)

biko · 16-01-2012 10:29AM

Change gym.

starbelgrade · 16-01-2012 10:30AM

People are far too easy to play the sexism card these days. If there's a women only section it's because there's a demand for it & it makes good business sense to provide it.

There's nothing sexist about it as I'm sure that if men were looking for a men only section, then gyms would also start providing them.

Blazer · 16-01-2012 10:30AM

Fair enough if women want their own gym then who am I to argue?
All I ask is I can golf in peace.

But having a women's section only? That's taking the píss...especially if it has the same weights equipment as the main section.

keano_afc · 16-01-2012 10:34AM

Do you go to Curves?

Cian92 · 16-01-2012 10:35AM

biko wrote: »

Change gym.

Not possible, part of the fees I pay to my college covers compulsory gym membership.

Faolchu · 16-01-2012 10:37AM

its probably because some women feel selfconscious and/or dont feel comfortable working out while men are about.

Dravokivich · 16-01-2012 10:39AM

OP, seems to me you should take matters into your own hands alright and get a sex change.

Cian92 · 16-01-2012 10:40AM

Faolchu wrote: »

its probably because some women feel selfconscious and/or dont feel comfortable working out while men are about.

God forbid a man could feel self conscious though.

The King of Moo · 16-01-2012 10:40AM

I'd imagine it's just because there's a demand for a women-only section.

Look at it this way: why would a gym, which is there to make money and undoubtedly has at least a few men involved in running it, go out of its way to be sexist for no reason?

As said already, if there were a demand for a men-only section there would be one.

Anyway, you have your own toilets and dressing rooms: gender equality for men in gyms has come a long way since the bad old days.

Micky Dolenz · 16-01-2012 10:42AM

I'd love to live in your world OP.

Quit being a cry baby and move on with your life.

ThinkAboutIt · 16-01-2012 10:43AM

No, it iss not sexist because it is 'women only.'
However, for future reference, it would be sexist if it was 'men only.'
Hope this helps.

Bad Panda · 16-01-2012 10:44AM

starbelgrade wrote: »

There's nothing sexist about it as I'm sure that if men were looking for a men only section, then gyms would also start providing them.

And I'd give it about 5 minutes 'til some feminazi was up in arms about it on Twitter.

I've no problem with men/women only sections/societies/golf clubs etc...

Cian92 · 16-01-2012 10:45AM

The King of Moo wrote: »

I'd imagine it's just because there's a demand for a women-only section.

Surely they should have to pay a bit extra for it though? I pay the same for less than a female receives.

The King of Moo wrote: »

Anyway, you have your own toilets and dressing rooms: gender equality for men in gyms has come a long way since the bad old days.

Sorry I'm not fully sure what you mean since the bad old days?

southsiderosie · 16-01-2012 10:47AM

Cian92 wrote: »

My gym has the regular unisex gym, along with another gym for women only. Women don't pay anything extra to use this gym. Do people think it is a double standard on the sexism front, if a gym provides a womens only section and not a men only section too?

Often during peak times the main gym fills up and you have to wait for a machine, but if you are female you can just go to the womens only part and find yourself a machine no bother.

I don't think it is fair that females get access to more equipment for the same price and that there is no equivalent facility for men.

What do ye all think? (Before I write my letter complaining)

Is the equipment different? I've found that in a lot of gyms, the free weights don't scale as gradually as I would like.

Also, I think a lot of women feel self-conscious working out in front of men, especially on weights. If having a women's-only section encourages more women to work out (and especially to lift weights!), then I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

Carter P Fly · 16-01-2012 10:48AM

It is sexual discrimination and shoudl be reported to the sexual discrimination police.

But in all seriousness they couldnt stop you from using that section of you wished to.

kylith · 16-01-2012 10:49AM

I used to work in a gym and, trust me, women need somewhere to exercise away from some men. Seriously. We had everything from peeping toms to flashers: Some men, I stress some as it is in no way the norm for men, cannot tell the difference between work out wear and seductive undies. Not to mention, as said above, that some middle aged overweight women want somewhere to exercise away from prying eyes.

phill106 · 16-01-2012 10:52AM

Don't you know its only sexist if it is anti-women?
You can discriminate all you like against us men!

Feeona · 16-01-2012 10:55AM

I used to wonder about this too. I mean logically it doesn't seem fair. Yet deep down I could understand the reason behind the women only section. I couldn't articulate it until one day a guy mentioned that he loves seeing women all sweaty after a gym workout because he found it attractive knowing what they looked like after having sex. He didn't mean any harm in what he was saying, he in his own mind was paying a compliment, but I was weirded out by it.

And I think this is part of the reason why women feel uncomfortable working out in front of men. I personally don't look at men in the gym and daydream 'Hmmm, I wonder is that what he looks like after he's had sex?'

In my opinion and experience, this is the reason why I prefer 'women only' work out areas.

OP, what's your reason for a 'men only' work out area apart from cost and machine availability? Do you actually feel uncomfortable working out in front of women?

stovelid · 16-01-2012 10:57AM

I hate the usual whining about men's rights that you get on here but I have to say if I was in a gym that charged men and women the same but I had to queue for one section while another had space but was exclusively for women, I would find another gym.

I don't think it warrants a crusade but I would just vote with my wallet.

For the record, I think sports clubs and the like should be able to choose to be men-only or women-only if they choose.

The King of Moo · 16-01-2012 10:58AM

Cian92 wrote: »

Surely they should have to pay a bit extra for it though? I pay the same for less than a female receives.

I see where you're coming from, but I think if they charged more there'd be less demand for the women-only section, and the gym are happy enough with the money they're already making from it.
It's a sound idea in theory in one sense, but I don't think they gym would see it as a good business move, unless they were aware of enough disgruntled male members. (male members! *childish snigger*)

Cian92 wrote: »

Sorry I'm not fully sure what you mean since the bad old days?

I was just messing, to be honest.

Feeona · 16-01-2012 10:58AM

Bad Panda wrote: »

And I'd give it about 5 minutes 'til some feminazi was up in arms about it on Twitter.

I've no problem with men/women only sections/societies/golf clubs etc...

And it only took 13 minutes for this masculinazi to be up in arms. You're catching up

biko · 16-01-2012 11:01AM

LOL

http://life.bitchbuzz.com/rules-for-going-to-the-gym-everyone-should.html

The “Keep Your Testosterone to Yourself” Rule

I used to scoff at female only gyms, and when I noticed my gym had a “women only” section, I rolled my eyes. Sequestering women is not the answer, I sighed to myself.

But then I showed up to my gym directly after work on a Wednesday, and the place was so packed with avid gym goers, I almost turned around and walked out. The super-fit women in teeny-tiny Lycra Nike branded work out clothes didn’t bother me so much, but the grunting, spitting, sweating, GARARRRGGHHHHUUFFFUGH-ing men surrounding the gym with various weights and punching equiptment did.

There’s something about the gym that brings out this carnal, primal urge in men. Maybe it’s the sweat, maybe it’s the endorphins, or maybe it’s the fact that the gym is the only time or place they get to see real life women.

No matter the sweat, no matter the smell, if there’s a woman wearing anything other than sweatpants and a hoodie, and she’s working out, my god, she's free game for staring at.

And this is exactly why when I lift weights, I do so in the ladies area. So I can grunt and twist faces and stick my butt out to do some squats without a thousand creepy, stinky, Creatine-ridden eyes soaking it all in.

Now, of course every man in the gym isn’t like this. Of course you have the normal dudes who just do their thing and then leave. But during peak times, no matter if they’re running behind you on a treadmill or pumpin’ weights near you as you stretch – the staring and gawking is gross.

Do us all a favour, guys. Unless we’re in a bright pink Juicy Couture track suit with a full face of make-up and reading Heat while we slowly pretend to use the cross trainer - we’re probably there to work out. To get fit, run, walk, stretch, lift and sweat.

Not to have you salivating over how our ass fat flops around while we run.

Coriolanus · 16-01-2012 11:01AM

You're right op. And another thing, my doctor refused to schedule me for a cervical exam, fúcking sexist

Feeona · 16-01-2012 11:06AM

Nevore wrote: »

You're right op. And another thing, my doctor refused to schedule me for a cervical exam, fúcking sexist

:pac:. That remark reminds me of the day I and my cousin were walking by the local 'Mans Shop'. She dared me to go in and ask for a bra, and then complain loudly about sexism if they didn't have one.

I didn't have the balls : (

Dravokivich · 16-01-2012 11:22AM

Feeona wrote: »

I didn't have the balls : (

Why you ouaghta woman up!

:pac:

Trankton · 16-01-2012 11:23AM

Feeona wrote: »

I didn't have the balls : (

Literally

Feeona · 16-01-2012 11:24AM

Trankton wrote: »

Literally

One day.....*stares wistfully into the distance*

16-01-2012 11:24AM

i thought weights sections were always men only
:pac:

starbelgrade · 16-01-2012 11:44AM

bluewolf wrote: »

i thought weights sections were always men only
:pac:

Sexist.

Teyla Emmagan · 16-01-2012 11:53AM

biko wrote: »

LOL

http://life.bitchbuzz.com/rules-for-going-to-the-gym-everyone-should.html

Yeah, I think this is pretty spot on actually. For some reason (maybe it's the bang off their own testosterone), the guys in the weights sections seem to ogle way more than the guys on the treadmills, for example. Maybe it's just more noticable because they're sitting around between reps, but a lot of them seem to spend all that time just perving. And it's really off putting. It makes the weights areas of the gym a real no-go for a lot of women. In fact it's generally the only part of the gym where you are less likely to see women.

And that is a shame, because a load of women would really like to, and would benefit from, lifting weights. But all the grunting and sweating and walking around like a gorilla thumping your chest after lifting something particularly impressive tends to be very offputting for women. In my own experience anyway.

I can't see why you would need any other section of the gym to be women only, but a women only weights area would really appeal to me for one. And I'd be happy to pay extra for it.

Gyms and Women only sections. Sexism or not?

Comments