Gym size discrimination

catshark209

Here's my reaction: FINALLY! As an official fat chick, I am SICK TO DEATH of walking into the gym and being stared at by skinnies who only see the fat. They don't see the back injury that kept me from moving for five months solid. They don't see the car accident that caused a hemotoma (spelling?) on my knee, preventing it from bending properly for over a year. They don't see the anti-depressant that promoted lethargy and weight gain. They don't see the aching knees, sprained wrists, sciatica...they just see the fat, and they bloody well stare.

I've been the butt end of PILES of nasty comments at the gym, and they all seem very surprised when I turn around and say, "The fat's in my *kitten*, not my head. I'll lose weight and be better for it. You'll be an {insert insult here} til the day you die." They get all bent outta shape about it. One even reported me for simply saying, "I'm fat, not deaf you idiot." Yeah...

I'm not a rabid anti-skinny or anything...I'm just tired of being expected to take the abuse just because I'm fat. Where's your compassion, huh? Isn't the gym where you're SUPPOSED to go to get healthy? Why look down on me because I want the same thing you want?

Eff these b itches. I hate women like that so much.
If you came to my gym, I'd kick their bony butts. I'm very thin myself but I hate it when people are evil to each other.

bm99

I wish they had something like this here. I stopped going to my gym at the college because I would always get snide looks and remarks from the other girls there. It's probably due to a low maturity level of most college-goers at a private institution, but it's still disheartening to try and change your life, but hear, "Omg, that's so nasty, why is she even trying," when you're trying to do something for yourself.

EDIT: That's the reason I started running and doing everything solitary...

This is the exact reason this gym exists. Well, this and other snide comments folks have made in this very thread.

Do you really think the snide comments were only made by thin people here?

She didn't say thin people made the comments. Rude people come in all shapes and sizes..

Exactly. Skinny people don't ruin morale, *kitten* do.

threnners

However, my friend who goes to the same gym as me but at a busier times has had numerous comments. She has been pushed out of the way in the queue. Just the other day she told me she was on the bike and a girl walked up to her and asked her to get off saying "I need to use this bike and its not like you are going to do anything here anyway" She was devestated, burst into tears and walked out. I am pretty sure she would prefer to be at a gym where she isnt going to have people treat her like that.
I also read an article a while ago about a study they did on gym staff and overweight people. It found that they tended to spend less time with the overweight people and approach them less than those of normal weight, even though they all scored themselves as visiting overweight people equally.

And this very well may be why that particular gym exists. A free-from harassment area.

(And I would have told that girl "The only thing you NEED to do is STFU.")

The Gym I go to is a university fitness center. Everyone pretty much leaves everyone alone. Of course, I do get disheartened sometimes by the nubile young coeds, but then I remember "screw 'em."

mrmanmeat

Time to flip this one around.

What if there was a gym that specifically said No Fat People- You're Bad For Morale?

I see nothing wrong with it. If that's what they want to run their business model as, so be it. It's their right. But, I'm not an oversensitive $#@#@ like some people. I'll just laugh and move on. Or join it if it's got something I don't have at my gym now.

With my gym, I'd love it if there was a section for <40 years old.

cibuchanan

I have to say I wish there was a gym for >40 with personal that treat you properly.

I have belonged to two gyms. I have been treated like I was not suppose to be there. Like I was an embarrassment to be working out next to. Like working out next to me would make them fat. Thing is men are just as bad as the women.

The staff at one of them treated me like they didn't have time to help me out. I even paid for a personal trainer and she paid more attention to other members then me.

I have severe back problems and am limited on what I can do. That doesn't mean I don't want to loose weight and get fit. My doctor recommended me joining to do the swimming exercises as that would take pressure off of my back.

I was told by a staff personal that if I can't work the machines then I was wasting my time and theirs by being there. I paid for a years membership and after a few times of going and being treated that way I never went back. Was not even offered any money back when I told the manager what was going on.