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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Gyms and Gender

53 replies

Charlie11223 · 22/03/2018 16:12

Hi,

This is just a quick post to get some opinions on what people think of - Women only gym areas and Women only training Hours?

Along with this any opinions of Men only gym areas and Men only training Hours?

Many thanks :)

OP posts:
HairyBallTheorem · 22/03/2018 16:17

Why do you ask, OP?

My feeling is both are good as part of a mixed programme in a gym. Many women feel uncomfortable about their bodies, and this discomfort can be lessened by single sex environments. Also, a lot of women report men "hogging the equipment" in mixed sessions, so a single sex environment gives them a space where they won't be elbowed out the way.

Can't speak to men's spaces as I am not a man, but I don't see a problem so long as there's still enough time slots in the week which are accessible to everyone.

(NB, I personally have been lucky in my experience with gyms - I used to train in a free weights room where I was frequently the only woman, and in my experience of that specific gym and that specific group of men, they were never anything other than supportive and respectful - but my experience is not every woman's experience, and I have talked to women who's experiences have been very different from mine).

MissPiggysKarateChop · 22/03/2018 16:17

What do you think of them? Why do you want to know?

Personally I'm in favour of both women only and men only gym areas/sessions. I think it is beneficial for both sexes to have space to themselves to exercise. I don't really enjoy exercising with men if I'm honest.

MissPiggysKarateChop · 22/03/2018 16:17

Why do you ask, OP?

Cross post Smile

MrsTerryPratchett · 22/03/2018 16:22

I've done martial arts in both. I wouldn't have started if I couldn't do single sex (not gender). Further on I quite liked sparring with men. But only when I was good enough to put off the newb boys who thought they'll school a woman Grin

LadyLance · 22/03/2018 16:25

I use the gym in a mixed session, and I never really have any issue- but I do mostly cardio and small weights- I'm not sure how I'd feel about stepping into the free weights area!

I think some women do prefer women only gyms/sessions for all sorts of reasons, and I am sure there are men who would prefer men only sessions for cultural reasons or because they are uncomfortable with their body.

I think it is up to a particular gym to work out if there is a need in their particular area for these sessions.

I think it can also be hard to find a time for these sessions- you don't want to exclude half your customer base at peak times, but if you put them on at non-peak times, then they may be poorly attended.

Original poster
Charlie11223 · 22/03/2018 16:26

I work for a gym, we have a women only area of the gym which is great! However it does create some complaints - about it being unfair for women to have to option the train without the other sex. However men don't have the choice and even if they are self conscious, they can only use the gym if they use the main gym. Personally id love to have both men and women areas for those who would rather train away from the opposite sex.. and then a mixed area however this would obviously require a very large gym.. the purpose of the post is to try and get feed back as to opinions of the areas :)

OP posts:
UpstartCrow · 22/03/2018 16:28

I'm in favour. People who don't want to use them can use a mixed session. Same goes for swimming.

Sirzy · 22/03/2018 16:31

I think ideally if your providing a space for one you provide a space for another.

I’m not a fan of too many “women only” or “men only” time slots because often people need to grab their gym time when they have an hour free and it could soon get annoying if you couldn’t get in because it was allocated to another group.

UpstartCrow · 22/03/2018 16:34

Why don't you have 3 options, male only, female only and mixed? That way you cater to everyone.

MrsJoshDun · 22/03/2018 16:38

Do men get as self conscious as women in a gym though?

My PT gave me a programme to do and I won’t do all the free weight exercises she showed me as I won’t do anything which involves lying flat on my back in a bench. I also worry I’m flashing too much cleavage when I do tricep exercises on the bench and I won’t do thrusting glute bridges. I appreciate this is my issue but if I was at a gym with a women’s only area I probably would feel happier to do it.

lemonsandlimes123 · 22/03/2018 16:38

I think both can be positive but IME the thing that makes the most difference is having professional and engaged staff who will act if there are people of either sex behaving in ways that may affect other people. Both sexes can display behaviour which is annoying, intimidating unpleasant for the opposite sex but gym staff of both sexes who are happy to proactively nip this in the bud is the key IME.

MrsJoshDun · 22/03/2018 16:38

But I don’t think that women only time slots would be fair on men.

MrsJoshDun · 22/03/2018 16:39

No man has ever behaved towards me in an inappropriate way, so not sure gym staff is the answer.

lemonsandlimes123 · 22/03/2018 16:40

mrsjosh - solution to the cleavage problem is wear a higher neck top if you are self-conscious (I have the same issue myself), totally understand re thrusting flute bridges! What is it about anything on a bench you don't like?

lemonsandlimes123 · 22/03/2018 16:40

glute bridges! no idea what a flute bridge is!

MrsJoshDun · 22/03/2018 16:47

I keep thinking I need some higher neck t-shirts but then they don’t look as flattering when I’m stood up.....can’t win! Grin

Just the whole lying on a bench with my legs either either side of the bench or bent up with my feet on the bench while doing overhead dumbbell things I don’t want to do as I feel very self conscious. I keep telling myself the blokes won’t be looking as they’re too busy exercising.

DeleteOrDecay · 22/03/2018 16:51

If it encourages more women into exercise then I'm all for it. Got no problem with men's only sessions either, would many men turn up to make it worthwhile for the gym though?

FeministBadger · 22/03/2018 16:59

I think there's a quite a few men who would value men-only exercise sessions - I know a guy who went to the local "meat head" gym until he felt he was sufficiently good at exercise not to be constantly self conscious about looking an idiot in front of women.

AssignedPuuurfectAtBirth · 22/03/2018 17:06

I think if it's going to be done, there should be both men only and women only sessions or areas. TBH I'm not in favour of it. I think it breeds resentment. Also, it's hard enough to keep the changing rooms sex segreagted at the moment without making it even more complicated

Kyanite · 22/03/2018 17:10

I forgot about gyms...the one I used to go to had an open changing area with no cubicles, just the showers were private.

My gym didn't have women only sessions but I would have liked that so I could use the weights too and not be stared at.

Patodp · 22/03/2018 17:11

When it comes to a sporting environment surely male only, female only and mixed should be standard.

WhereYouLeftIt · 22/03/2018 17:12

I used to use a gym that had only one changing room. Not sure why, maybe it was a listed building or they just didn't have the money to install a second. Anyhoo, they got around this by being a male-only gym three days a week, a female-only gym three days a week, and I think Sunday was male-only in the morning and female-only in the afternoon.

I loved that gym. Felt totally comfortable there in a way I never have in any other gym.

lucydogz · 22/03/2018 17:16

I'm too busy exercising to worry about what other people think about a fat, old woman like me puffing away. If I WAS going to worry, I'd be much more concerned about beautiful young women judging me.
I think separate sessions is a totally retrograde step and would change gyms if they implemented it at mine.
Also, I go to the gym with my DH, so how would that work?

lucydogz · 22/03/2018 17:21

Also, I find women hog the equipment just as much as men. It's a bugbear of mine - the amount of time people spend sitting on the equipment fiddling with their phones. It would delight me if gyms banned the use of phones in the gym.
I pay to use the gym any day of the week until 6pm. I'd be seriously pissed off if the time was limited i.e. the cost of my gym membership would effectively increase

midgebabe · 22/03/2018 17:33

Mixed is fine with me. More important is that there are supervisors and plenty of people about. Got quite scared once at a previous gym alone with one bloke....I left early. Like separate changing areas though.