To think this is unfair?

[Whenlifegivesyouoranges]

I joined a gym a few months ago and one of the main points for me was that it’s female only from 9-7 weekdays. I’ve just had this email from them and I’ll be cancelling as it no longer fits in with the times I can go, but this is ridiculous, right??

Could it be for Instagram posts by younger users?
Not that it makes it right by any means.

Ridiculous

Of course you can discriminate on the basis of age. How do you think the Brownies work? Or pensions? Or Saga holidays?

Presumably that’s the age group that can’t exercise at the same time as men without being hit on.

On what grounds do you think it right to discriminate in a gym though?

Most gyms have a women's only area.

@Whenlifegivesyouoranges yup definitely need to vote with your wallet - hopefully all the other ladies are too as that’s crazy! For a lot of women like me that would be impossible to make work as I get back from work about 5 and most convenient time on a weekday would always be that 4-7 slot!

So why can't women older than 25 use the gym? It's not about men being there it was a women's only session.

So the gym was, when I started, women only 9-7 weekdays and men only 7-10. On the weekends it was different hours but the same concept; some of the day, women only and the rest of the time men only. Women have one membership fee which is a bit more expensive than the men’s one as we get more time when the gym is open.

12! You have to be 14+, most 16+ for most gyms.

That's so bizarre. I can see a rationale for a once a week session, or, actually I can see more rationale for a dedicated session for older women, who want to take it easy rather than feeling 'in the way' of younger women doing intensive workouts.

But blocking off the time that any working woman would want to use the gym, every week day, is bonkers!

I wonder if they’re trying to attract the influencer type crowd for some free marketing

But they're not being hit on by 25+ women I'm sure!

I suspect there is some insufferable dickhead in charge who wants a young, hip and happening vibe, so isn’t bothered about losing boring old middle aged women. I would leave and fervently hope the place goes under.

But it's already women only at those times anyway. Just now no women aged 25+. Unless you think older women are also hitting on teenagers?

Curious to see the actual wording in your photo op…

I can think of a number of grounds. One would be over 50s who might find it intimidating to go to a gym with younger people (obviously not all over 50s before the Mumsnet lifters come at me). Another is young women who would avoid gyms either because they don't want to be chatted up or because they are self-conscious getting sweaty in front of women they perceive as older and more self-confident. If the gym can identify a legitimate aim - and they have done, "to better cater to our younger female members who require a dedicated, comfortable space during peak after-school and early evening hours" - then they are free to do it, and other users are free to cancel their memberships.

It would piss me off if I had to go before 7pm, and after then was men only as I don't get home from work until 6.30pm some days.

Glad we've got a sensible Pure Gym near us and anyone can go at any time of day, 24/7.

That’s a really strange decision by them.

It should be approved soon. That’s genuinely all it says, I’ve copied and pasted the whole email, bar the contact details as they’re outing of course. I’ve not reworded any of it.

You should be able to end your contract early since they have changed the conditions. Presumably they will reduce the fees anyway since they have removed one of the most popular time slots.
How can it work; mums won't be able to accompany their 12 year old daughters to the gym. Members will turn 25 and have to stop going after work.

How bizarre.

If the men will still be arriving at 7pm then I think it’s a bit of a recipe for disaster with all of the youngest women leaving at the same time as the men arrive. Surely that’s the age group most at risk of some lecherous men.

That's the most bizarre thing. So women over 25 can go to gym between 9-4? Of course I would be cancelling, I work during those hours! Do they assume all women over 25 are ladies of leisure or something?

What an absolutely ridiculous set up. I would get a junior session for schoolgirls (but not every weekday) but I just don't get why a 21 year old woman "requires" a separate space away from a 40 year old woman.