Should men be allowed to join women-only gyms?

[Strike]

You would never see this controversy in Europe or South America.

I doubt that -- case in point: the Cold Lake gym during Maple Flag.   Hit the weight room and certain Euro-men are gawking the whole time.   I tried to get away and went downstairs to hit/kick the bag in the martial arts room and the cat calls I had to put up with.

Edited for spelling -- meant to say bag instead of back.

 

[George Wallace]

I doubt that -- case in point: the Cold Lake gym during Maple Flag.   Hit the weight room and certain Euro-men are gawking the whole time.   I tried to get away and went downstairs to hit/kick the back in the martial arts room and the cat calls I had to put up with.

I see we are looking at two different things here.   You are looking at men gawking and giving cat calls and I am looking at the differences in culture and that we are truly prudes in North America, whereas sexuality in other continents is treated much differently.   Look at the coed showers found in Scandinavia as one example, the coed sauna's found throughout Europe.   Now Ontario has allowed Topless sunbathing for women in public places (although many don't as yet feel comfortable in our prudish society to do so), something quite common on several continents.   You are interpreting the statement in a typical North American way.   While you interpret men gawking at you and giving you cat calls as an insult, some others may look at this as a form of compliment.   Perspective.  It boils down to your own confidence in who you are and self-esteem.

 

[Island Ryhno]

Well said George. We are such prudes that sexuality has become a taboo in North America. It's almost a crime to have, want or discuss sex. Silly really, I think we should all adapt the European attitude. And ladies, I'd like to request a googling, so make me feel better.  ;D

 

[Kat Stevens]

I see we are looking at two different things here.   You are looking at men gawking and giving cat calls and I am looking at the differences in culture and that we are truly prudes in North America, whereas sexuality in other continents is treated much differently.   Look at the coed showers found in Scandinavia as one example, the coed sauna's found throughout Europe.   Now Ontario has allowed Topless sunbathing for women in public places (although many don't as yet feel comfortable in our prudish society to do so), something quite common on several continents.   You are interpreting the statement in a typical North American way.   While you interpret men gawking at you and giving you cat calls as an insult, some others may look at this as a form of compliment.   Perspective.   It boils down to your own confidence in who you are and self-esteem.

The loud "pop" you just heard was the lid on a very large can of worms being opened... George, prepare to repel boarders  ;D

 

[camochick]

Whoooooo island ryhno, shake that....... Looking good. Yeah baby .

I totally agree that north americans are prudes. A woman can barely breast feed her baby without there being a scandal. It's sad because nakedness is fun. Heck, if they would let me I would never wear clothes. haha >

 

[GNR]

George, in what perspective would I assume it is a compliment to hear someone cat-calling my wife or daughters?

And yes European culture is more tollerant of the nudity, but go there and try to get away with cat-calling or other child-like and perverted acts and you'll quickly be taught the european "perspective".

 

[winchable]

They don't cat call so much as the ogle,
I went to a place in Portugal, which for all intents and purposes was a typical "european beach" and the younger men would never really say anything out loud but they would definetly stare quite intently and if they saw a girl they liked they would approach her without hesitation and normally the girl responded well or by behaving flirtatiously/sexually in eyeshot of the men.
I suppose in that sense they are less prude because they didn't slap the guy or cover up, but if anyone had shouted out something like "HEY BABY SHAKE IT" I think everyone there would've been disgusted by it.

 

[Lexi]

Thats rather funny, I know a lot of people in your corp and there all pretty short...don't mean to offend you or anything.

Eaaasy there....  >

 

[Mappy]

It's sad because nakedness is fun. Heck, if they would let me I would never wear clothes. haha [/quote


ummmmm ok!

 

[Glorified Ape]

George, in what perspective would I assume it is a compliment to hear someone cat-calling my wife or daughters?

And yes European culture is more tollerant of the nudity, but go there and try to get away with cat-calling or other child-like and perverted acts and you'll quickly be taught the european "perspective".

Never been to Italy, have you? My ex was there this past summer and, rest assured, cat-calling was alive and well. I should be so lucky that the greatest concern in my life is being "oggled" :

 

[GNR]

Yes, I have... a few times, as well as other parts of Europe.  I'm sorry to hear about your Ex's experience, I bet it was uncomfortable and p**sed her off.  I highly doubt she saw it as a compliment (as George suggested it was earlier).

It's all about respect for each other.  Cat-calling shows a lack of respect.

Don't get me wrong, there is no doubt if a woman is good looking, I am looking (not gawking).  But I have some self control and don't cat-call or act like a fool.  Promoting that kind of behaviour or calling complimenting is just enforcing zero respect for females.

And of course you have bigger concerns in your life than being "oggled", I doubt that is even on your list of concerns.

 

[Fry]

Whoooooo island ryhno, shake that....... Looking good. Yeah baby .

I totally agree that north americans are prudes. A woman can barely breast feed her baby without there being a scandal. It's sad because nakedness is fun. Heck, if they would let me I would never wear clothes. haha >

I agree totally! (To walking around nude, not about Ryhno!! :dontpanic: )

There are 2 things I would love to wear for the rest of my life. A tux, and my birthday suit! LOL.

 

[newrecruit]

  I'm not against those fitness centres, but I wonder what are they doing in there? I saw some females getting out of the gym after hard work calorie burning workout getting a juicy hot dog getting back those calories. Doesn't look healthy and  productive. Most fitness centres with that fancy fitness equipment are out there to make money, they don't care about wether you get in shape or not. I myself work at the fitness centre and noticed that most people work out on resistance machines, but no one would ever bother to use a pull up bar. People believe what fitness industry tell us that to get in shape we need some newly invented equipment. I myself prefer simple and effective exercises like pull-ups and push-ups. By the way how come the most attention is focused on the upper body? What about our legs? Can you do 100+ bodyweight squats? Most weightlifters believe that their squats are superior and they can perform bodyweight squats with ease. The point is to get in a good shape we don't need to spend our hard earned money to be really strong and in shape. Can you call a powerlifter strong if he can squat 500 pounds, but can't do 500 bodyweight squats. Again I apologize that I'm a little bit of topic, but that's how it is.

 

[Good2Golf]

Well, the guy's being an ass-hat, but it goes to make a point...girls can join boys scouts but boys can't join guides if they happen to like the activities better...BS double standard that we ingrain now on our children.  Anywho, I go to the gym to work out, point finale.  The guy should just go to the Y or something...but it's still BS

G2G

 

[armyvern]

And indeed he probably has gone to the gym by now....this threads over a year old!!

Ahhh, to be back in Europe.

 

[Good2Golf]

And indeed he probably has gone to the gym by now....this threads over a year old!!

Ahhh, to be back in Europe.

Crap, I didn't notice it was a necropost...shame on me for joining in!  :-\

G2G

 

[Biggoals2bdone]

I know this thread is old since i do have eyes and i can see dates....but this topic is very dear to me and i feel i must add my 2 cents.

1) i understand women's needs in competitive sports to want to be up against the best, and no disrespect ladies but thats why women try to get in men's leagues, im not trying to ruffle feathers but i know this will but its true, look at the olympics...the fastest times, longest distances etc...are held by men...so yeah it makes sense that when women want to be up against the best in lets say hockey they want to go play in the NHL, or whatever...but i don't think its right...i mean come on if that was the case we wouldnt have gender differenciation in the olympic games...women and men would compete together...well that would be the theory but comparing stats few women would make it to the olympics then...so the way i see it Feminists want "equality" when it benefits them...i.e closing down Men's only establishments (golf clubs, gyms, social clubs, etc) but when it actually has drawbacks for them they quite pointedly avoid the subject.

We have clubs of men only or women only because like someone quoted Sean Connery saying we like being among our peers and not have to "reign in" our behaviour to accomodate the opposite sex...i.e guys like to get together and watch football, swear, drink, scratch etc, as soon as you throw a woman in the mix...its less fun for us...well... > ok lets not get into that lol...

So basically if the lil girls in Brownies or whatever wanna do more hiking or camping or stuff like that they should bring it up with the people in charge...instead of weasling in to the boyscouts, and vice versa.

Personally my best friend played hockey and out of his whole league there was 1 team of all girls that had just been recently added....well you know what no other team in the league liked playing them because they weren't allowed to play hockey (no checking, swearingand all other hockey stuff)...NO one can say that there is no difference between women's hockey and men's anyone who does clearly is deaf and blind.

2) I am totally against AND for women's only gym...against them because i find them unfair, in that whenever a men's only club is to be found or opened women are up in arms trying to shut it down...and then bang 2 weeks later a women's only club for something opens...REAP WHAT YOU SEW...you want equality to bad deal with...you can for something and then say oh but we didnt want all the "bad" things that came with it.  I am against the principle...if women want gyms, social clubs etc exclusively to women...they should leave EVERY men's club the "F" alone...if they want to have their own clubs thats fine with me but then they cant go around b!tching and moaning trying to close down men's only clubs.  I am FOR women's only gyms...because then that means less waiting around while lil suzie Q does her umpteenth set of lil pink dumbbell exercises on the bench that 10 other ppl are wanting to use, whom she won't let work in...ya okay some people might say im out of the ordinary when it comes to the gym well im proud of that being an amateur bodybuilder (and aspiring powerlifter) when i train its chalk, straps, more chalk, grunting, psyching up, heavy breathing and even OOH NO some swearing and a few hundred pounds of slag iron...so yeah you know what sometimes its not just women in the gym im annoyed with...but mostly them...mind you i've seen 1 or 2 women in the gym kick ass but they are rare.

So you know what in the end if it gets them out of my gym sure what the hell let them have their women only gym...they could take the guys that train like em too, was up to me...like i said though if they do have them then they can't be HYPOCRITES like they are being now.

And you know what some guys feel uncomfortable and less then masculine perfection in the gym in front of women too...so women cannot use that excuse claiming they have the monopoly over it....just like the media is full of what is the ideal masculine physique....men i guess just arent as neurotic about it....i mean come on there are both male and female models (but then again i find male models look like women) and there are top 100 sexiest men and women....and watch movies you get all kinds of images of both sexes....boobs....rock hard six packs...long smooth legs....big arms.....tight buns.....broad shoulders....so again its there for men just as much as women...

getting offa my soap box

 

[stealthylizard]

There are also the gyms that cater to "overweight" women, like Curves for Women.  Having lived in small towns most of my life, I have no idea if there are similar gyms for overweight men in city centres.  Most gyms I have been to are full of guys that look like Adonis clones, lol.  Again being in a small town, not much choice for the guys.  A gym for guys that focuses on obtaining the perfect body type, but no programs for weight loss.... or a woman's only gym that focuses on weight loss, but overweight guys aren't allowed to join.

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

I think women's clubs are necessary for some of the reason listed above, but I also believe as soon as you create that standard that gender can be use as a determinant in deciding upon eligibility "due to the psychological impact upon the membership", I think it's very reasonable to argue men's clubs should be allowed to exist as well as often men are looking for opportunities to escape too.


Matthew. 

 

[Greymatters]

Biggoals, although some, and only some, of your points are valid, you are stereotyping all women into one collective "bitching-moaning-wanting-both-pieces-of-cake-and-eating-it-too" stereotypes.  Just because a small group of women aree in your opinion hypocrites for closing down all-male clubs doesnt mean all women are hypocrites.

Now let me give you some input from the fairer sex based on comments from my wife and her friends on this issue.

1) Most women like going to the gym to get fit, not to be ogled and assessed by every male in the joint. 
2) Women are already self-conscious about their personal image and body size.  They dont want male comments.
3) Dressing in a tight gym bodysuit does not equal 'loose' or 'open to offers', nor does it mean we are looking for dates. 
4) Catcalls and other sexually rude comments have been made illegal by law and most company policies, but men still do it, and expect women to accept it.  Wrong.
5) Part of going to a gym is to be with other women with similiar interests (and problems).  Male mockery of women's discussions are not appreciated.
6) Men are nowhere near as amusing as they think they are (i.e. saying things they think are amusing followed up by an infantile laugh at their own humour).
7) Telling women they are wusses for not doing more or heavier reps is not appreciated.
8) Some women are highly concerned over being sexually assaulted or worse.  An all-female gym severely limits this possibility.
9) Some women eat a 'treat' after training in the gym.  So what?  Men drink beer after playing a ball game. 
10) Both men and women sweat and not all members clean up afterwar themselves.  In the end, male sweat is grosser than female sweat.  Eww.

As a final point, they have no objection to men's fitness or sports clubs, what they object to are mens clubs that are used as tools for business deals, hiring people, and deciding promotions.