My feminist rage does pull-ups

[rachelmanija]

I found out yesterday that my YMCA does have an assisted pull-up machine... in the men's locker room! I would never have known if Adrian, whom I had gotten in on a visitor's pass, hadn't tipped me off!

I complained. They said it was the only place in the entire building where they had room for it. I suggested the roof (where the rest of the big machines are, and where there is definitely room.) They said no one uses it anyway. I pointed out that in the men's locker room, none of the female members have any opportunity to use it, and would not even know that it exists. They repeated that there is no room anywhere else. I asked them what their procedure was for filing a gender-discrimination complaint.

They said I needed to talk to the supervisor, who wouldn't be back till Tuesday. GRRRRR. I plan to keep complaining up through the ranks until they move the damn machine to where BOTH GENDERS can use it.

Comments

[sophia-helix.livejournal.com]

This sounds like when business owners explain they don't have wheelchair ramps because no one in a wheelchair has ever come into their place.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

I asked them what their procedure was for filing a gender-discrimination complaint.

YES. I shake my wee fists of feminist rage with you.

[giandujakiss.livejournal.com]

Why do you need upper body strength? Can't you ask one of the men to protect you?

*points - this is my feminist rage icon. in case it needs deciphering*

[machineplay.livejournal.com]

Good lord. What fuckery. Good for you for kicking some ass. I'm sure the local paper would lap that story up, by the way.

[nestra.livejournal.com]

Go you. They are morons.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

I share your rage! And I went up to -70lbs today. (:

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Go you!

I just left a voice mail on the executive director's phone, highlighting phrases like "gender discrimination," "totally unacceptable," and "put it on the roof where ALL members can use it."

[movingfinger.livejournal.com]

The "we don't have room" thing simply doesn't sound plausible to me. Any gym that has one, has room for it on the floor.

ETA: "No one uses it anyway" sounds false too, because at the gym down the street it's certainly used enough that a person might have to wait or (esp. Saturdays) alternate sets. As many women as men are on it, easily. It's such a great complement to other upper-body work!

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

At my gym, I see more women than men using it-- men are more likely to use the free weights.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

Go YOU! As ever, I admire your chutzpah.

[branna.livejournal.com]

I add my feminist rage to your feminist rage.

Given that the assisted pull-up machine is one of those rare machines that is not hampered by body-sizing issues, it's particularly obnoxious.

[harriet-spy.livejournal.com]

That's such garbage. Everyone needs the assisted pull-up machine! I can't wait to get back on that bad boy once I'm medically cleared.

[dkolodji.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's unbelievable.

Go get 'em.

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

We have two of those, out in plain sight for everyone to use in our 24 Hour fitness. Oddly, I see lots of women using them!

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

The FUCK?

I asked them what their procedure was for filing a gender-discrimination complaint.

GO R GO!

[ckd]

Go you. This is made of fail and the repeated excuses just make it worse.

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Go go Rachel! They don't need to take the "M" in YMCA so damn literally...

[cmattg.livejournal.com]

*Facepalm*

*Waves little "Y-chromosomes for Rachel" flag*

[janni.livejournal.com]

If it's the machine I think it is, there's one at the over-50 gym down the block from me (which I sometimes use because it's down the block from me), and gray haired women use it regularly.

[cofax7]

They said no one uses it anyway.

WTF? The pull-up machine at my gym gets plenty of use. Granted, I'm the only woman I've ever seen on it, but that shouldn't matter. It belongs in the weight room with all the other machines.

Go get 'em, Rachel!

[marzipan-pig.livejournal.com]

Now that I've met you this is even better :)

Good for you, I wouldn't have tried half the stuff I'd tried if it weren't right there in front of me.

I do wish my gym had sex-segregated jacuzzis and saunas, though that's b/c I got to an EXTREMELY cruisy gym, and even with poor vision and my glasses off, I can tell when the other people there want me to leave.