Women only gym. Am I being a killjoy?

[SapphosRock]

There’s a female only gym and cafe opening not far from me. The idea is so that women can train without fear of being harassed by men. So far so good. Sounded promising, I was tempted to join.

www.theargus.co.uk/news/19157289.mama-fit-female-only-gym-cafe-opens-burgess-hill/

On further investigation I actually think it sounds pretty awful for three main reasons:

1.	The owners are men. Not sure I feel about two blokes profiting from the discomfort and intimidation of women. Additionally, surely they will be present in the gym at times defeating the object of it being female only? 

2.	The name is shit. Women are much more than just Mamas.

3.	They haven’t thought through their membership criteria or PR. Some women asked some completely legitimate questions on social media about their policy on including trans women. These women were basically told to shut up and go away. 

In my opinion these men don’t have a clue about what women actually want from a female only gym.

Prepared to accept this is just be me being a grouch and they are approaching this with the best of intentions. Thoughts?

Well it’s not a compulsory gym for women. I like my women’s gym but people are all different. I assume market economics will decide whether this particular gym is successful or not.

Heavy weights don't make women bulky, cupcakes do

Yes, because only women eat cake, silly fat girls sitting around eating cake . FFS.

@JohannaC

Sorry, that did sound a bit blunt, but if I had a pound for every woman I've heard say they won't lift weights because it'll make them bulky....

Yes, but gym instructors correct this misapprehension. Even at your common, high street gym.

@JohannaC I disagree with you ´women don’t need specialized training’ idea. Nothing to do woth ´bulking up’ or cupcakes. It shouldn’t be considered specialized because women make up half the population but post-partum training really does need to take into account probable weakness in the abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. But then I live somewhere where pelvic floor physiotherapy is standard state funded healthcare after having a baby. This might be temporary concern or it might continue for life or get worse with menopause. There must be a very high percentage of women in the population who have had one or more children -maybe half? Maybe 30-40%? That’s a big chunk of the total population.

Heavy weights don't make women bulky, cupcakes do

Slight aside, but why is it always 'cupcakes' when people want to make comments about women's eating habits?

Personally for me the fact that two men run it would put me off if I was looking for a women's only gym, seems a bit weird!

Yes, it does see seem to be a strange business proposition.

Can't believe posters on this thread are saying same sex gyms are "sexist" !
Women can have all sorts of reasons to need same sex gyms. The fact your bum and tits are bouncing around like nobodies business should be an obvious reason.

I loved my gym when it had a women’s only corner. Just much more relaxed.

I would assume from the name it's a specialist in post-natal sort of exercises. Shit name otherwise.

Of course it's not sexist to use Equality Act exceptions to allow people of one sex safety and dignity. Additionally, women's bodies are different from male ones - we aren't just weaker penis-less men. It would be great to use a gym that focuses on this.

Would be an amazing opportunity for women with religious restrictions around being with men, too.
But obviously there is no point in segregating by gender, only sex.

@merrymouse

Personally for me the fact that two men run it would put me off if I was looking for a women's only gym, seems a bit weird!

Yes, it does see seem to be a strange business proposition.

Why? I don't see the issue here at all. If there's a market for this what difference does it make?

The poster who wrote about the Equalities Act needs to look at the permitted exceptions.

Though I'm much stronger (physically and mentally) and more flexible than I ever have been from doing daily yoga at home than from going to the gym three times a week when I was younger.

And I never get so much as a sniffle whereas I used to get several nasty colds a year. Gyms are just filthy germ boxes, I'll never set foot in one again.

There's a fantastic women-only (and women-run) gym near London Bridge, if anyone's interested. I felt so safe there and the equipment is excellent. Forgot what it's called.

I like the idea of female PTs- I’ve had some good male PTs but one female trainer had had 4 kids, she knew what happens to your body after a baby. Every woman is different but I nearly burst into tears not long after having had my daughter when a young male PT asked if I had any injuries etc and I told him my pelvic floor was fucked. I don’t feel that way now but I can empathise that some women will feel unable to discuss stuff like that. And I had no birth injuries other than stitches.

Why? I don't see the issue here at all. If there's a market for this what difference does it make?

They say they want to create a business that is female led and female focused, but it's an article about two men opening a gym. Where are the women who will be 'leading' the gym? They have less than a month till they open, but all I can see in the paper is pictures of men.

Nothing wrong with men investing in any business, but if my USP were 'female only gym led by women', I think I'd at least try to give the impression that I had employed some female staff.

I wonder if the owners know there is a thread about their gym on MN.

I agree the name is awful.

Why? I don't see the issue here at all. If there's a market for this what difference does it make?

If there's a market, fine, it might serve some purpose ... but a women only gym is likely to attract more members and therefore be a better business proposition if it actually is women only including the trainers.

I'm generally fine with male trainers, doctors etc myself, but it's clear that many women for very good reasons aren't so properly single sex provision of services will be of benefit to them.

@CardinalLolzy

I would assume from the name it's a specialist in post-natal sort of exercises. Shit name otherwise.

Of course it's not sexist to use Equality Act exceptions to allow people of one sex safety and dignity. Additionally, women's bodies are different from male ones - we aren't just weaker penis-less men. It would be great to use a gym that focuses on this.

Would be an amazing opportunity for women with religious restrictions around being with men, too.
But obviously there is no point in segregating by gender, only sex.

Can't private companies just do whatever they want? No excuse necessary? There are adult-only gyms, why not-female only gyms? Do you see 17-yr olds piling on to gyms who do this, saying they're not exclusive?

Can't private companies just do whatever they want? No excuse necessary? There are adult-only gyms, why not-female only gyms? Do you see 17-yr olds piling on to gyms who do this, saying they're not exclusive?

No - the EA allows segregation by age in some, but not all circumstances.

www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/age-discrimination#lawful

Hopefully a woman will open up a women only gym in direct competition and exclude transwomen (be used it would legitimate and proportionate) and the transwomen can all train together in the male-owned gym for the 'mamas'.

Can't private companies just do whatever they want? No excuse necessary?

Yes in theory they can, so long as any the exclusions on the service relating to a protected characteristic is to meet a legitimate and proportionate aim. So you could have a gym for 60+ , a gym for pregnant women, a gym for people aged up to 18 etc , from a business sense it would make more sense to have a gym which offered these sessions individually, but if there was a demand for a 60+ gym or an under 18 gym then yes you could open it.

People misunderstand what the Equality Act is for , it’s to ensure that people aren’t treated unfavourable because of their sex/age/disability/religion/sexuality, not to make sure that all businesses have to be all things to all people.

I've been to a fair few gyms. My favourites have both had women only sections, and I've really appreciated them.

My current gym is massive, but there's a room that's women's only, which has a couple of running machines, one of all the various other machines, a couple of squat racks, and some space for floor/free weights. I have been onto the main floor, but the racks there are often monopolised by massive, sweaty, grunting men, who don't put stuff back, and the smaller bars are generally buried at the back etc. Whereas in the women's section, it's cleaner, tidier, and the equipment (where possible) is sized towards women (I really wish they'd do smaller machines too - I can't use some of it because it just doesn't adjust down to someone 5' tall!).

I do also like that no-one's staring at anyone, and the women are generally friendly, whilst also keeping to themselves most of the time - ie. the right balance for strangers in a room.

So I appreciate a women's gym. I don't appreciate being patronised.

It used to piss me off so much about men putting 30kg plates on top of the 1.25kg plates.

I used to have start my workout by rearranging everything on the plate tree so it was all accessible, every morning.

If you don't have the energy to put the plate back where it should be after your bicep curls, it was obviously too heavy for you. There should be signs saying this.