My local gym and its blatantly sexist policy - bah humbug!!!
Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 12:17 pm
I know it's a Friday and a lovely sunny day and all (unless you're in Plymouth) but I still feel the need to have a good old rant over an issue I feel very strongly about.
I joined my local gym this week. Last night I went along for my first 'session' but when I got there I was turned away as they said it was 'women only' night. They didn't mention the existence of such a night when I joined. I asked the member of staff when 'men only' night was. I was told there wasn't one. The member of staff actually said 'it's a bit sexist, I know'.
Surely this is illegal? I, and all the other male customers, are paying the same as the women yet we are given less access to the facilities as one night of the week we are effectively banned from the gym. Am I alone in thinking equality has gone out the window and that this is just plain discrimination? I also checked their website which explains that 'women only' night exists to allow women to exercise in a relaxed environment. This statement implies that the presence of men is somehow 'non-relaxing' - something I resent. Sure if some men have been found to have made some women feel uncomfortable then those men need to be dealt with on an individual basis. It's not fair simply to banish men for a night in the week just because some women don't like men being around.
Anyway I've emailed the gym outlining why I think their policy is wrong. Hopefully I should get a reply soon. What does everyone else think? Surely in this day and age this sort of practice is outdated?
Rant over.
I joined my local gym this week. Last night I went along for my first 'session' but when I got there I was turned away as they said it was 'women only' night. They didn't mention the existence of such a night when I joined. I asked the member of staff when 'men only' night was. I was told there wasn't one. The member of staff actually said 'it's a bit sexist, I know'.
Surely this is illegal? I, and all the other male customers, are paying the same as the women yet we are given less access to the facilities as one night of the week we are effectively banned from the gym. Am I alone in thinking equality has gone out the window and that this is just plain discrimination? I also checked their website which explains that 'women only' night exists to allow women to exercise in a relaxed environment. This statement implies that the presence of men is somehow 'non-relaxing' - something I resent. Sure if some men have been found to have made some women feel uncomfortable then those men need to be dealt with on an individual basis. It's not fair simply to banish men for a night in the week just because some women don't like men being around.
Anyway I've emailed the gym outlining why I think their policy is wrong. Hopefully I should get a reply soon. What does everyone else think? Surely in this day and age this sort of practice is outdated?
Rant over.