Banners And Flags
Why pride flags are important in gyms.
How many gyms have banners of their favourite equipment companies?
Maybe it’s Rogue Fitness. Maybe it's Tydax. Maybe it’s Eleiko.
But they haven’t or even won’t put up a pride flag.
Putting up that banner took time and effort. It was a choice to put it there.
And it has little to no influence on the client or member.
I doubt someone will walk into a gym and say “Oh they must use Rogue equipment, this gym is for me”.
Put up a pride flag. And understand what it means and why you put it there. Make it about the client or member. Make it a welcoming and inclusive space.
@safegymtraining
Throw Like a Girl
What does it mean to throw like a girl?
Here’s an insult that needs to go away.
Where did this insult come from?
Cultural and sexist norms. That continue to be used.
There is a principle in training called the SAID principle. Specific adaptation to imposed demands. Basically says that you adapt to tasks you are exposed to.
People throw the way they do because of their exposure to throwing.
Something I learned from a Medball training course from @ericcressey is that baseball players became excellent at throwing from something called humeral retroversion. It's an adaptation in growth plates that allows people to demonstrate more movement in their shoulders.
Many people, especially women, have not developed that ability.
And it’s not their fault.
It's the people who have said things like:
“Baseball is a men’s sport”
“Throwing is for boys”
“No I can’t play catch with you, go play with your dolls”
Many people that aren’t good at throwing are a product of norms that denied them the ability to learn and adapt to that activity.
Jackie Mitchell was one of the first female professional baseball players in history. After learning to walk her father taught her how to throw. At 17 years old she played in an exhibition game against the New York Yankees. She struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, two of the best baseball players in history.
Babe Ruth was quoted saying: "I don't know what's going to happen if they begin to let women in baseball. Of course, they will never make good. Why? Because they are too delicate. It would kill them to play ball every day."
Days later her contract was voided, and women were banned from professional baseball. It was said that the game was “too strenuous”...
There could be a lot more people like Jackie Mitchell. If we allowed them to participate in the same activities as everyone else.
“Hey Guys”
There is a better way to speak to groups.
I’m a believer that language matters and that words have meaning.
As such I am working on removing the word “guys” from my vocabulary when speaking to groups.
Growing up “guys” was used a lot as a group term while playing sports.
Then I noticed it even more in the military (a male dominated culture).
Then I started hearing (and using the term) even more in gyms (also a male dominated culture).
To keep things simple, I believe the term needs to be removed when speaking to groups, because it is very often a false statement.
When using the term, are we actually speaking to guys? Are we 100% sure?
I believe it to be important to address and speak to people the way they want to be spoken to.
This is not my lived experience but I imagine that women do not want to be addressed as men.
I also imagine that a transgender woman would not want to want to be addressed as a man.
Even if we feel like we are talking to a group of only men, how can we possibly be 100% sure? It’s none of our business, so don’t bother asking the question.
There are more inclusive words we can use. This could be “folks” or “everyone”, or “class” or “team”. It may also be a filler word that needs no substitute.
So much of this has become internalized and will require unlearning. But it is also such a simple change. A change that would recognize that we respect others.
Note: This also applies when speaking to groups and saying things like “hey ladies”.
Are You Privileged?
How you can quantify your privilege.
Using public restrooms without fear of verbal abuse, physical intimidation or arrest.
Being able to walk through the world and generally blend in, not being constantly stared at because of your gender expression.
Using public facilities such as gym locker rooms and store changing rooms without stares, fear or anxiety.
Being able to receive medical care, including emergency medical care, without worrying that your gender will keep you from receiving the appropriate treatment.
Being able to feel like an affirmed and included member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Having multiple positive celebrity and/or TV role models who you personally identify with.
Being able to go shopping for clothes without hesitation or fear of being mocked, questioned, or made uncomfortable.
Raising children without worrying about state intervention.
Being able to feel unthreatened in your interactions with authority figures and police officers.
Having your gender identity recognized and validated by your family and extended family.
Having your gender identity recognized and validated by neighbours, colleagues, and new friends.
Being able to travel without worrying about your safety due to your gender expression, identity or sexuality.
Kissing/hugging/being affectionate in public without discomfort, threat, or punishment.
Freely being able to discuss your relationship(s) with others.
Having medical procedures that you deem essential covered by your insurance.
Having others legitimize your relationship(s) and comfort you when a relationship ends.
Being employed as a school teacher without people assuming you will "corrupt" their children.
Being able to go to a doctor visit and have the doctor understand your sexual orientation/gender identity and respond appropriately to questions regarding your sexual health.
Having new people assume and use your pronouns correctly.
Having legal documents that accurately represent who you are and how you identify.
Being comfortable around coworkers/friends/family to discuss relationships.
How privileged are you?
A privilege is a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favour.
To the right, you will see 21 statements. This information is taken and adapted from a group exercise from @safegymtraining education on inclusion in the fitness space.
Based on your lived experience, read through those 21 statements. How many would you say are true for you? Comment below.
For me 20 of those 21 statements are true. I am very privileged.
I believe privilege can be useful when we acknowledge its existence and use it for good. To change the policies and systems that were designed to our benefit so that they can instead benefit everyone. With this hopefully, more people can say that more of those 21 statements are true to them.