I think many women can agree that going to the gym can be a stressful experience. It’s this notion of “gym anxiety,” where you don’t want to look like you don’t know what you’re doing or like you’re not supposed to be there, all the while you’re surrounded by intimidating men (and women) doing extreme workouts. The gym can be scary, but even more so at a university where you often run into people that you know, like a one night stand or the cute guy from your chemistry class. So it comes as no surprise that girls feel more comfortable going to the girls-only section of the gym. And even though universities have taken the right step towards recognizing the anxiety that girls often feel at the gym through a girls-only room, there’s so much more that can still be done.
I decided to write this article after my housemates came home from the gym and started to complain about the girls-only room. They said that it was so crowded that there was hardly any space to do their exercises. They also complained that it was really hot (probably due to the amount of girls in the room) and that there wasn’t a sufficient number of mats or weights. Not only that, but the small size of the room doesn’t allow for many machines, so it was difficult to complete an entire workout solely in this area. Moreover, because the room is so squished, girls often take their mat and dumbbells out to the hallway to do their workout on the concrete floor, which is definitely not safe.
While this article is written through the perspective of a Queen’s student, I am certain that girls at other universities experience very similar problems. I think it’s very clear that although our society strives for equality, inequality remains in many aspects of our lives, and can be seen in something as simple as the recreation centre. At Queen’s, there have been a lot of renovations going on in the ARC to improve the facility; they have even renovated the entire lobby! Clearly the money that Queen’s has to renovate the ARC is not being used to benefit the girls room, an area which is always full and used to its maximum potential.
It’s important for women to feel included in all institutions at Queen’s University. There’s simply no reason that women should feel as if their health and fitness is put second to that of men. It’s not easy for everyone to use the parts of the co-ed sections of the gym. With that, an improvement that can be made to the gym is expanding this area so that more women can better utilize the space, as well as adding heavier weights and additional machines. The free weights currently in the room are quite light, insinuating that women can’t or shouldn’t lift heavy. Renovating the room for a bigger space, and putting in a few squat racks and barbells would improve the space substantially. It is always important to recognize the aspects of society where there is inequality, even if it’s not obvious.