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Is verbal harassment common at the gym? And do women or men catch more of it?

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Replies

  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    Like everyone else, never. BUT, one of my MFP pals just recently said that she's had issues with a stalker type guy. He was bothering her at another gym and she switched gyms. He showed up at the new gym and again kept trying to talk to her and even touched her without permission.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,085 Member
    I can't think of any harassment at a gym that I've seen (even if directed at someone else).
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    >Have you ever witnessed, participated in, or been a victim of, verbal harassment at a gym?

    Nope. Been a regular at four different NYC gyms and rec centers over 18 years; never seen anything.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    Only been going to gyms or a year and a half, but I’m there fairly regularly and have only ever seen and experienced people being friendly - on the rare occasions they’re not just concentrating on what they’re doing.
  • JLG1986
    JLG1986 Posts: 212 Member
    Never at the gym. This is interesting to think about - I’ve had to endure sexual comments or body shaming or snide remarks pretty much everywhere else, but at the gym everyone has been friendly and polite (or at least polite-ish) even when I don’t know what I’m doing at all :p

    And I can’t think that I’ve judged other people at the gym - except for that one guy with the flu who was coughing and sneezing on EVERYTHING. o:)

    I know I feel insecure in tight workout clothes, sweaty and struggling, and it’s comforting to look around the gym and know I’m not alone, we’re all there for the same reason - to better ourselves, no matter what stage of that process we’re at.
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    The only harassment I've ever had to deal with was the CIrcuit Nazi Team, Queen B(kitten) who harassed everyone who wasn't doingbthe circuit exactly the same way they were. Which was like, everyone. While most people realized that sometimes you have to circle around an older person, or someone might mistime thier routine by a few seconds. Queen B refused to compromise at all with anyone, and was reported several times by several different people for her constant unpleasantness.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    edited June 2018
    Never at the gym, nor have I ever seen it happen to others at the gym. Unfortunately while running outside men do call out sometimes, I’m assuming either the anonymity boosters their confidence or they aren’t the same types going to gyms.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    I'm 46 and have worked out at various gyms throughout my life and I have never, ever witnessed any kind of fat shaming, derogatory comment, intimidation or harassment.
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
    Never experienced either at the bodybuilding gym i went to, nor at the local YMCA.
  • hungrywombat
    hungrywombat Posts: 47 Member
    Never experienced this at the gym, although when starting back after gaining some Christmas kgs and feeling super self conscious I know I felt much more visible. The logical part of my brain realizes that I am really not that interesting and nobody is paying attention to anything but their own workout :D The few times someone has commented on my workout have been to compliment me on progress.

    I have experienced much more catcalling when out running, and one time a stranger stopped me in the middle of running laps at the park to tell me he had been watching me for the past twenty mins and that he thought I needed to change my running style to more of a heel strike (um, thanks, random creepy dude!)... personally, I have found gym goers to be pretty friendly and non judgmental.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I've been to a few different gyms over many, many years and I've never seen it. I'm sure it happens from time to time just about anywhere you can imagine. I've been harassed many times on the street, though.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    I've been to a few different gyms over many, many years and I've never seen it. I'm sure it happens from time to time just about anywhere you can imagine. I've been harassed many times on the street, though.

    OMG, I love your profile pic. I think I just snorted.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    I’ve noticed some of the people walking by the yoga classroom sometimes staring a little....but thirty middle aged and older ladies all in down dog position rear ends facing the window would be a sight, I suppose. Harassment? Never. And a few of those starers have come and joined us.
  • mreichard
    mreichard Posts: 235 Member
    megsmom2 wrote: »
    I’ve noticed some of the people walking by the yoga classroom sometimes staring a little....but thirty middle aged and older ladies all in down dog position rear ends facing the window would be a sight, I suppose. Harassment? Never. And a few of those starers have come and joined us.
    I think there may be more of that than people realize. I know I was once closely watching a woman doing power cleans because it’s a lift I wanted to learn how to do, and I suddenly realized that she probably thought that I was being creepy.
  • Safari_Gal
    Safari_Gal Posts: 888 Member
    Fortunately - I’ve personally never seen that or experienced it. Ive been a member of my gym for about 10 years. I find MFP forums to be much more hostile than any person I’ve run into at my gym!
This discussion has been closed.