This week I stepped into a gym for the first time in months and nearly ran out the door as fast as I came in. Posted on the walls were pictures of women in bikinis. There were racks upon racks of chemical supplements with who-knows-what in them. There were managers at the front desk without any social intelligence and people being pressured to buy products and services they couldn't afford.
My degree is in Exercise Science and I have worked over the last 6 years as a personal trainer. I love helping people be healthy. But this place, this sad, sad, place could be considered anything but "healthy."
Don't get me wrong, I love to lift weights, I love to run, and I see a need for gyms. But I do not see the need to support a place that thrives on insecurity. I quickly left my resume on the front desk and haven't returned their phone call.
I have had countless women clients that have come to me hoping that I can seemingly solve all their problems if I could only make them small and sexy. Many women, of all ages, are misguided to believe that if they are skinny, tan and busty they will inevitably be happy. It is as if they erroneously believe that if they are attractive enough they can inveigle out of men the happiness they want from life. It’s sick.
“Skinny” does not hold the monopoly on success, attractiveness, or fulfillment. It is disgusting the assumptions we make about people, particularly women, as we size them up by weight.
It seems that many times the fat we carry around has much less to do with how ‘lazy’ or ‘motivated’ we are and much more with the emotional and physical stressors that we encounter (having children, emotional eating to cope with life, illness…). Our escalated weight is often a reflection of our priorities being transferred from own selves to other competing interests family, work, school. . . none of which we should be ashamed of.
The world would be a better place if people felt comfortable in their own skin and people gave others that same privilege.
Don't think I've gone all "angry feminist." This clip touches on a relating subject in a totally brazen, apologize- in-advance, kinda way. But somehow, I like it.
3 comments:
Amen. I liked the crazy feminist video. The ending was great! Thanks for sharing.
Well said. I need your professional opinion on something. I left you a message about it. Gimme a call sometime and we can talk exercise, and I will NOT be sporting a bikini.
Wow! I love your blog. And with your permission I am going to print out your "sizing up women". It affected me deeply. I love you! you are one of the most beautiful women I know because your heart is so huge, soft and kind and your gorgeousness is not skin deep. thanks for the poetry/crazy feminist!
hugs!
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