Should men be allowed to join women-only gyms?

[Armymedic]

A CTV news story out of Vancouver (I am looking for a link and story to put here).

CTV poll on the right:
http://www.ctv.ca/canadaam

Basically, this man wants to join a women's only fitness facility, because in his words, it is the best facility in the area he lives in. He was obviously denied membership, but also treated rudely and is now taking his case to the Human Rights tribunal in BC.

My personal feelings:

1. I agree with woman only fitness facilities, like Curves (my wife is a member, going 3 x a week) where they can go and work out. She hated accompanying me to the base gym because men would look at her (can't say I blame them), or that there was too few weights and machine small and light enough to use. This was the 8-9 years ago when we first moved here. Base gym here in Pet has gotten much better in the last few years since PSP took over.

2. As an equality issue...the fitness center does not have a chance. It is pure and simple. They are discriminating against this man for wanting to become a member. Now before you get all up in arms, lets imagine this is role reversed...a woman wanting to join a men only gym....

Oh wait we don't have to pretend, it has happened....

So what if the tribunal decides against him in favour of the Gym?

 

[brin11]

To answer the question...yup.  The only reason these places have stayed open is because no one has challenged them to date.  We'll see what happens now.  Watch and shoot.

 

[Gramps]

The question should be..............Who F*&%ing cares about these silly little issues. There are men only clubs so why can't there be women only gyms, or does this threaten someones masculinity?   What are they doing in there? Are they making fun of me? Why don they let me try to chat them up? Really.............................. who cares?

 

[Gunnar]

Quite frankly, I hope they DO decide against him, and do so in such a way that it is clear that you CAN have discrimination in social clubs because the members wish to discriminate in that way.  While I don't think that "women/gays/other disadvantaged group should be kept out of activity X", I can see that those participating in activity X might want to make it the "men's division" etc....I don't really have a problem with that.

Women-only clubs started because of the social pressures on women to be slim, and so that women could work out in an environment free from leering men.  Not that there aren't leering women, but the tendency is towards men.  Why shouldn't they do that if they want?  Why shouldn't I play golf, or soccer, in a men's-only league?

Keeping aside the circumstances where the gender-specific league is the only game in town, or the only really highly competitive league, (because I believe that talent should be rewarded, and that members of those leagues should want to have the best people in them--still, an argument I'm not getting into right now) I believe that discrimination isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Someone once asked Sean Connery why he only golfed with men...he replied "because when I golf, I prefer the company of men".  Social activity means that social discrimination is in play.  That's part of what makes it fun.  

 

[camochick]

Yarghhh. Another waste of tax payers money. Why can't this guy just leave it alone? I have no problem with womens' gyms's , men's gyms, gay gym's. These places are designed so that the people who work out there will feel more comfortable. It's not about discrimination. The local petsmart wont cut my hair like they do the dogs, but I'm not going to sue for discrimination because i am human. Holy crap, some people are just mental.

 

[Fry]

I support gyms like that to a point. However there is a women's gym closer to me than a gym that I can actually go to...  but to each his own, and in this case, her own too.

 

[SemperFidelis]

SO many cry-babies in society about everything!  Gunnar, I def. concur with you.

And with you cammochick...

The local petsmart wont cut my hair like they do the dogs, but I'm not going to sue for discrimination because i am human

Thats classic

 

[winchable]

They just opened a womans only gym near me, I say crack on, the less women there are at my gym the less women there are for those guys who just walk around and stretch to impress..or not impress...at any rate this way I won't have to keep adjusting the weights and having my circuit training ruined by an old lady who can't grasp the concept of an ordered circuit (THERE'S NUMBERS ON THE MACHINES).

Now if only there were someway to get rid of the creepy guy whose berries are hanging out of his shorts and the dude with all the tattoos who stares at me when I'm changing.

 

[9nr Domestic]

There was a very similar case in Winnipeg, I will try look up the details tonight.

 

[kincanucks]

Now if only there were someway to get rid of the creepy guy whose berries are hanging out of his shorts and the dude with all the tattoos who stares at me when I'm changing.

Damn they must have cloned these people as they are at my gym too.

Men Only and Women Only who gives a flying crap but there are people out there, both men and women, who think it is their fundamental right to go and do whatever they want.  A product of our "poor baby" society.

 

[Mappy]

I've never had a problem working out in the gym with the boys.  Infact when I was training for sprinting, I training WITH guys because it built up my speed.

However, its kind of a common trend (in my school gym) that girls are on cardio machines and boys on the weights.


My school also has a rule that no one is allowed to go topless or wear a tanktop (meaning Tshirts only) because of "body self-esteem". 

 

[Michael Dorosh]

My school also has a rule that no one is allowed to go topless or wear a tanktop (meaning Tshirts only) because of "body self-esteem".  

Also known as common decency in some circles...

 

[Infanteer]

I see this as retribution for the Men's Only golfclub that the ladies are crowing about.

Personally, I wouldn't set foot in a women's only gym - my mom goes to one and it is a bunch of soccer moms doing their soccer mom thing.

 

[chrisf]

Fighting... urge... to... use... four... letter... acronym.... starting... with... M....

 

[paracowboy]

personally, I don't see why anybody has the "right" to belong. If a buncha white guys want a "Whites Only", or a bunch of girls want a "Girls Only", or >insert whatever label< want a "Whatever Only" club, let 'em have at 'er. As long as they don't harm anyone else, it's nobody's business. It may be discrimanatory and narrow-minded, but if it's private property, and a private club, I don't see how it affects anyone else.

And, I think women, especially, should be left alone to work out. You throw guys in, and we get women who won't exercise for a variety of reason. As a result, their health deteriorates. Leave 'em alone, for a couple hours a day! Sheesh! This guy's a putz. Somebody add some more Chlorox to the gene pool, please.

 

[KevinB]

Clorox added...
 

 

[Mappy]

Seriously, unless this womens only gym is the ONLY gym within the town....this guy is outta luck.

 

[Lexi]

I enjoy my women-only gym.
I hate going to gyms of mixed gendres because of how little I feel next to the goddamn bodybuilders.
I don't like stares, I like going to the gym and not being noticed.

I DON'T like some jerk walking up to me while I'm doing freeweights and saying "Aren't those a little heavy for you"?

 

[Mappy]

I DON'T like some jerk walking up to me while I'm doing freeweights and saying "Aren't those a little heavy for you"?

Haha, thats happened to me before when I was training in track.  But I just lifted the weights, the guy saw how much I was lifting and went "wow" and moved on.

People underestimate my strength because of my size.

 

[Lexi]

Haha, thats happened to me before when I was training in track.  But I just lifted the weights, the guy saw how much I was lifting and went "wow" and moved on.

People underestimate my strength because of my size.

Exactly!
I'm rather short and people always assume I can't handle things because I lack a little when it comes to height.