Newsgroups: soc.men
Subject: Re: sexism in health spas
From: arothman@eve.wright.edu (Aric C. Rothman)
Date: 28 Jul 92 16:09:36 EST
Organization: Wright State University
Keywords: weights

In article <1992Jul28.153130.20520@unislc.uucp> kbiesel@unislc.uucp (Karen Biesel) writes:
>Here's a new one that I thought would never happen to me.  My husband and I
>are members of the Holiday Spa.  We both paid the same amount membership fees.
>
>The manager has the spa set up with seperate men's, women's and co-ed areas.
>The manager, a man, put all the nautilus and other single item machines in
>the men's exercise area.  This prohibits women from using the machines.
>
>I, <equalist> that I am, decided to go and use the equipment anyway.  So what
>if it was in the men's gym area.  It existed nowhere else.  (We're talking
>10+ pieces of fancy stuff)
>
>I was ushered out of the men's gym area, needless to say.  Women have there own
>area to exercise in, I was told.  The women's gym has pulley weights that offer
>the same range of motion as the machines in the men's gym.
>(I talked to the regional manager on the phone, to discuss the issue, and he
>hung up on me!)
>
>OK I'm bitter.  But is this common practice throughout, to have seperate
>exercise areas for men and women?  Is it men or women who are embarrassed to
>be looked at, or is this a Utah thing?
>
>Anyway, this is the first time I've been denied the use of exercise equipment
>because of my sex.  
>
>Can anyone beat this story?  I need to be cheered up.
>
>Karen Biesel
>

Does hearing a story sadder than your own cheer you up, Karen?


At a Holiday Spa in Virginia I used to frequent, an exclusively women's
weight area was available, but no similar men's area was offered.  The
men had no special priviledges to any of the machines, no priority on
machines in the general area, nothing.  Women could go from their own
area to the general area without restriction.

Similarly, a Vic Tanny I went to in Michigan had a section exclusively
set aside for women, with no exclusive men's section offered.  The
women's machines were in great shape because they were never used.  The
place was crowded all the time, but women monopolized the general
equipment and tended to not use the women's stuff.  One time, I went to
the women's machines (at the time, I did not know the machines were only
for women, as they were very similar to the general equipment, only to
be told to get the hell off the machine and get back were I belong.

Another Michigan Vic Tanny that alternated days between male and female only
days went female only, preventing convient access to the spa closest to
my home.  I don't recall if the management changed hands.

At the Ohio Vic Tanny I now attend, there are men's and women's
sections, as well as a co-ed part.  The first time I saw a women in the
men's section, I asked about their policy.  The single-sex sections are
not enforced, but I've never been over to the women's side, so I don't
know if they enforce the exclusively female section policy either. (The
men's section has been more than adequate for me, so far.)

Aric Rothman
Newsgroups: soc.men,soc.women,misc.legal,alt.child-support,alt.dads-rights