"Beaten by a girl"

[JeanSeberg]

Comment from the teacher in a spin class at my gym this morning. He was walking around the group, encouraging everyone to cycle as fast as they could and said to two of the guys "Careful, you're in danger of being beaten by a girl".

Nice.

I'm at the stage in my life, where, if someone said that I would leave. I am sick of low-level shit like that. I certainly wouldn't pay to have someone say it to me.

This was at PureGym by the way.

My concern is that if I complain, they will just say "It was only a joke", that it won't be taken seriously.

I don't expect him to suddenly have a lightbulb moment where he realises what he said was wrong. He has an attitude problem in general compared to the other instructors who teach the same class at different times.

I wouldn't leave, but I would say something to the instructor. I had words with my karate instructor once for saying similar to a boy in the class. Similarly, when my usual (male) Body Combat instructor goes on holidays the woman who fills in tends to make comments like "come on girls, we want to get those sexy butts/look good in our bikinis don't we?" I haven't said anything yet but next time she does I will speak to her after class and point out that no, I am not in her class to "look good" but rather to get fit and healthy.

I hate the idea that women only get fit in order to look good.

Sorry, I went off on my own rant and didn't give any helpful advice.

The best way to deal with offensive jokes is to make the person explain why it's funny.

Him: Careful, you're in danger of being beaten by a girl

You: Why are you referring to these women as girls? And could you please explain why would it be problematic for a man to be beaten by one?

He would be hard-pressed to answer without coming across as a sexist wanker.

I wouldn't feel confident approaching him in person, I don't think it would serve any purpose other than for him to think I'm over-reacting and dismiss me. His email address is on the website though.

I'd send him an email and cc the gym manager. They need to know it's inappropriate. Imagine saying, "You don't want to be beaten by a gay/white man/etc."