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??

If I were you, I found go back to them to remind them that age is a protected characteristic they cannot discriminate against. What they are doing is effectively ageism.

I hope someone pops by with details of who you have to report them to.

So they only expect women to be able to go to the gym in school hours?

I'd cancel with effect from the date of proposed change, noting that you don't expect them to charge you beyond them, regardless of T&Cs of the contract due to the short notice nature of the change.

I'd also add a snotty "sorry my age has made this group feel uncomfortable, clearly not my intention, nor the right gym for me."

Just say you identify as a 20 year old. Seems to work in a lot of other situations.

But how would that work, the transwoman that is 25+ could just turn up at 2pm for an hour or 2 or anytime in the morning whilst it’s still female only time so I doubt that is the reason

It can't just change terms of contracts. And the WTF was to your non sensical comment.

This.

It’s discriminating against older women. Age is a protected characteristic under the 2010 Equality Act.

This is why our women's only gym chain, which is happy to take great wads of fees from any female, regardless of age, and with terrible t&c's, is so popular.

I'd just go in, say you don't accept their new t&c's and are being age discriminated against and get out of your contract. Nothing hurts more than lost revenue. A popular gym I went to many years ago made some changes, including hiking fees massively, charging for services that used to be included etc. I left, along was heaps of others. It closed within a year.

I haven't heard of a gym that has men only sessions before.
it seems a very limited membership all round - would look elsewhere.

Oh fuck off - email back 'FYI, I now identify as being 18, please amend your records accordingly'.

Then continue to go to the gym as per contract and payment.

How do come to that conclusion?

Totally ridiculous. Tell them why you’re leaving. As if other women over 24 make 12 year old girls feel uncomfortable. Totally daft! And hugely ageist.

I'd be surprised that they would have trans women over 25 and not under, though. If anything it would be the opposite, I think.

There’s obviously been something said in their feedback to make this decision. Odd that younger women don’t want to be around older women

The 24’s and under must be scared of catching ‘old’ they don’t want to see their future by looking at us 🙄

I’d understand maybe one evening a week. But every weeknight?! I’d have to cancel too.

Really !

In what country? I’ve never heard of a woman only area in a British gym

Bonkers. Not a frequent gym bunny, but when I have been in one, the market does not look like women under 24.

They can, it just has to be outlined clearly in the terms and conditions of the contract. It’s called a variation clause.

rare to have under-14s in gyms. And, are they they saying that 12 year-olds won't be able to have parents there to supervise them?

Still interesting to see somewhere practising both sexism and ageism ...

I came to that conclusion by the reason I just wrote

I used to go to one in Bristol, and it had a women only area.

If you know this, why on earth did you just post that the gym have acted legally and thus mislead anyone reading? It's very clearly ageism and that's illegal.

They would have to have a very strong reason to get away with this and it would require a judge to hear their case in court to decide whether it was proportionate. It's impossible to imagine a situation where it would be, which is why several of us have urged OP to write to the gym telling them they appear to be acting illegally and asking them to explain their reason for doing this.

This would seem to imply that the person making the decisions at the gym knows nothing about the law, doesn't it?

You’re not making any sense. You’ve said peak gym hours are 5-8, then said this decision doesn’t overlap with peak gym hours. Except it 100% does, because women over 25 now cannot attend at all between 5-8pm. It doesn’t matter about the rest of the work day, most people… work. Hence why the peak hours are 5-8pm.