GPs to prescribe “judgement free exercise classes for women”

[Theeyeballsinthesky]

www.theguardian.com/society/2021/dec/06/gps-in-england-to-prescribe-non-judgmental-exercise-classes-for-women

Lots of stuff about how women are put off exercise by what people think while they exercise or that classes are not designed around their needs

It’s a partnership initiative between sport england & the NHS

As always Im completely baffled that the NHS stonewalled to the hilt as it is, can run programmes like this whilst also strenuously insisting that trans women are women

I wonder which type of women this programme will be inclusive of….

I completely share your scepticism, however, there is this, from Frances Drury, the head of activation at Sport England:

Drury added that many women experienced sexual harassment in gyms or while exercising outdoors, making the availability of female-only classes important.

We can live in hope...

We can Leaf - I honestly do think that they mean women of the biological kind so let’s hope it stays that way

Yes, I see now you were getting at the enormous discrepancy between recognising the need for female only spaces and at the same time....not.

It's not just female only classes they need, either. It's female only changing rooms and toilets and showers.

@Chersfrozenface

It's not just female only classes they need, either. It's female only changing rooms and toilets and showers.

Exactly!

Defeats the object if the venue is welcoming males into the changing rooms.

@Chersfrozenface

It's not just female only classes they need, either. It's female only changing rooms and toilets and showers.

It's such a huge issue but I don't trust the NHS to address it properly. I'm expecting that it would be invaded and would be like that ghastly hobbies thread earlier this year where a number of women-only groups lost their ethos when men joined.

In one case because he couldn't keep up with the men's cycling group of the club - so he raced ahead of the women and then complained about the slower women who had always been easily accommodated so they ended up leaving.

Other women ended up leaving their women's yoga group because men turned up wearing babydoll nighties and fishnets, iirc and it became unpleasant.

I’m going to stay hopeful that they mean biological women and be happy about this. Excellent news. Something that’s not shit, and it’s just for the benefit of women.

It's a nice idea, but I really wonder how practical it is.
If I'd been prescribed exercise classes while struggling with postnatal mental health issues, I would have laughed bitterly and shaken my head in disbelief.

One of the main reasons I was ill, was being hopelessly overwhelmed by too many responsibilities, with no practical support at hand. How the fuck would I have been supposed to find the time and energy to go to the gym? I guess I would have been written off as "refusing treatment"...

If this kind of treatment doesn't come with things like free childcare, vouchers to hire a cleaner, and/or being signed off work, it's completely useless for many. A lot of women mental health issues go hand in hand with social issues (such as lack of support, and inequal resources and responsibilities at home)

The crucial thing about all of these initiatives is how they define "women". This is where it frequently all falls apart.

One of the main reasons I was ill, was being hopelessly overwhelmed by too many responsibilities, with no practical support at hand. How the fuck would I have been supposed to find the time and energy to go to the gym? I guess I would have been written off as "refusing treatment"...

I do wonder this. So many women have so little free time, where are we meant to fit these exercise classes in??

@RobotValkyrie

It's a nice idea, but I really wonder how practical it is. If I'd been prescribed exercise classes while struggling with postnatal mental health issues, I would have laughed bitterly and shaken my head in disbelief.

One of the main reasons I was ill, was being hopelessly overwhelmed by too many responsibilities, with no practical support at hand. How the fuck would I have been supposed to find the time and energy to go to the gym? I guess I would have been written off as "refusing treatment"...

If this kind of treatment doesn't come with things like free childcare, vouchers to hire a cleaner, and/or being signed off work, it's completely useless for many. A lot of women mental health issues go hand in hand with social issues (such as lack of support, and inequal resources and responsibilities at home)

Agree 100% with this. I had PND and I am sure it was due to sleep deprivation and absolutely no support. An exercise class would have been no use to me. With no car, I walked miles every day pushing a double buggy with a toddler, baby and shopping. The weight dropped off alarmingly quickly but my mental health was terrible.

Exercise can be useful in improving health, but too often it is offered not as an add-on but as a substitute for real treatment for under-researched physical health conditions suffered disproportionately by women, such as IC, endo, and IBS.

Similarly, as PP have mentioned, domestic work overload (which if it were employment-based overload would lead to a sick note and a potential complaint against the employer), also disproportionately affecting women, is often inappropriately medicalised as depression so that exercise (or drugs) are offered instead of relevant support.

Social prescribing has its place, but it can also be used by government to avoid addressing women’s medical and social needs.

Humans are judgemental non-stop. Seems like a new airy-fairy idea that you can go somewhere and not be judged.

Those had better be exercice classes with free childcare otherwise they'll be worse than useless for loads of women (including those who may need the self confidence boost the most)

I'd go as far as to prioritise free childcare over judgment-free (how do you even quantify the latter?)

Maybe gym membership at a gym with on site creche and some women only classes?
I agree that exercise, volunteering and counselling can be really good for mental health but they all take time and often mums don't have that.