Had my first gym experience today. It was a women's only gym but apparently what they mean by that is vagina only gym.

Signed up for my free week and got shown around, no problems. The woman who inducted me was really nice. I felt comfortable enough to try a step class. My first ever, but I survived! That was the good part.

You know how you can work out the bitches pretty quickly? Had them spotted in an instant... in the weight equipment section. Got some rather unfriendly looks so I can only gather they had read me. That was the bad part.

When I was finished the step class, the woman who inducted my gave me my temporary membership card. Then she says in a hushed tone "I have to ask, it's just that our policy...do you have proof of surgery?" I was pretty shocked - do I tell the truth, tell a lie, or tell a really big lie and feign insult that she even dare suggest that I wasn't bio. I went with the lie, said yes I did, she said she'd need to see it, that some of the ladies had asked her (weight training bitches I'm looking at you), and she thought I was lovely but that she had to ask me. So that was the ugly part.

I'm pretty upset and disappointed. I gather the majority of the women there had no idea I was trans it wasn't until some cis privileged cows protecting their vagina only domain decided I was suss that the wheels fell off. I've decided I'm not going back. Even if I did have the documentation I don't think I would go back. What a disgrace.

How did they know you were a transgender? That is pretty insulting to ask you to prove you had surgery. i wonder how she would feel if someone asked her to drop her pants and prove she had female genitals.  You certainly don't have a hint of male on you. I wouldn't know if i just saw your picture.

sam1234

Amazing!

My nasty side suggests contacted the gender centre and the alliance and let them know that the place is discriminatory.

Hugs Grace... Thats awful, have they not heard of discrimination!

I am so sorry it turned out a bad experience...

Geez... You certainly look wholly female... they must have xray eyes or extreme radar!!!!

L Katy 

So sorry to hear that they actually had the nerve to ask a question like that. They have no right to know that. I agree letting someone know about their discrimination is a must. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: Cindy on May 06, 2015, 10:33:07 PM
Amazing!

My nasty side suggests contacted the gender centre and the alliance and let them know that the place is discriminatory.

I'll be going to the Gender Center in a few weeks and will raise it then. I have a feeling NSW law gives them a legal loophole on the discrimination front. Nothing against the woman who asked me, I could tell she was embarrassed but jeeze I feel humiliated and sad.

Hugs Hon.
You were not humiliated you were discriminated.

Hey you have business opportunity! A gym for TG only! There are enough clients available in Sydney, surely.

Ugh. Can that gym. Try a different one :~s

Discrimination or no, it sounds like some nasty-pieces-of-work reside there ...

I didn't know vagina spot checks were a thing at female gyms.

That is just utterly disgusting Ms.Grace, don't let them get away with this

Love,

April

It's not worth fighting if the people there will give you trouble either way.

Personally I would have disclosed up front that I was trans - just to clear the air, and know where I stand - before signing up :~o

I know that's not for everyone. But in my view, sometimes you need to play the game, in order to avoid these situations.

Quote from: SarahBoo on May 07, 2015, 12:13:25 AM
Personally I would have disclosed up front that I was trans - just to clear the air, and know where I stand - before signing up :~o

I know what you mean - and I thought about doing that. But figure if it's an issue for them and they believe they have the legal legs to reject women born with a penis then they should make it pretty clear in the sign up stage/contract about "disclosure". Anyway, it was a free trial, I trialled it and they suck.

Quote from: Cindy on May 06, 2015, 10:55:45 PM
Hugs Hon.
You were not humiliated you were discriminated.

Hey you have business opportunity! A gym for TG only! There are enough clients available in Sydney, surely.

Tick 

L Katy

Quote from: Cindy on May 06, 2015, 10:55:45 PM
A gym for TG only! There are enough clients available in Sydney, surely.

ha. Nice idea but I'm not that enthusiastic about gyms. 

Besides I fear it would attract a whole lot of unsavoury ->-bleeped-<- types and how would you even screen for that? Then all of a sudden I'm doing exactly the same thing. ugh.

Haa good point on the last comment!

L Katy

Oh Grace!....I`m so saddened to read of this hurtful and exclusionary experience.
At times, people`s capacity to deliberately-hurt, can leave one speechless......I feel that such acts indicate a pitiable weakness of soul.
You have no such 'weakness' and this was but one horrible experience in your rich (and enriching) life.......Please don`t let their sad inhumanity bother you a moment longer.
Kindest regards,
Deb.

Quote from: Ms Grace on May 07, 2015, 12:21:31 AM
I know what you mean - and I thought about doing that. But figure if it's an issue for them and they believe they have the legal legs to reject women born with a penis then they should make it pretty clear in the sign up stage/contract about "disclosure". Anyway, it was a free trial, I trialled it and they suck.

Bah, there are plenty more gyms on the street, Grace.  Some just come with a bad vibe.  Maybe a mixed gym might be better.  One of the things that would concern me about a single sex gym is that, by its nature, it's applying an exclusionist policy and would most likely attract some hyper-sensitive or militant types.

Still massively admire your courage for going!

Julia

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on May 07, 2015, 01:27:15 AM
Maybe a mixed gym might be better.  One of the things that would concern me about a single sex gym is that, by its nature, it's applying an exclusionist policy and would most likely attract some hyper-sensitive or militant types.

Good point. A non-gender-specific gym, versus a gender-specific gym.

The 'girls club' never did have a good rep :~D

Quote from: Julia-Madrid on May 07, 2015, 01:27:15 AM
One of the things that would concern me about a single sex gym is that, by its nature, it's applying an exclusionist policy and would most likely attract some hyper-sensitive or militant types.

True. I guess I was hoping for an environment in which I could avoid scrutiny and/or being chatted up by men. Seems I got the scrutiny after all.

I'm so sorry to hear you had to go through that it's awfull. I hope the they give themselves lifelong backpain from carrying around the heavy burden of deciding who is or is not a woman based on their narrow minded 19th century puritanical mindset.
Maybe they should spend less time building their arm & leg muscles and excercise the rapidly shrinking muscle between their ears




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