Check out G&STC’s Director Jesse Kahn talking with Gabrielle Kassel at Well + Good about how to find a queer-inclusive gym
Check out G&STC’s Director Jesse Kahn talking with Gabrielle Kassel at Well + Good about how to find a queer-inclusive gym.
Queer community is important
“Not to mention, most fitness spaces are meccas for community, which is an essential ingredient for obtaining a sense of belonging and acceptance, says Jesse Kahn, LCSW, CST, a queer sex therapist and director of The Gender & Sexuality Therapy Center in New York City.”
Check out the bathrooms first
“People looking for queer-inclusive fitness spaces often beeline it to the bathroom, taking inventory of whether or not the locker rooms are gender-neutral. Or, at the very least, whether or not there is a single-person bathroom that anyone can use. This is a great place to start, per Kahn.
It’s hard to engage in wellness or movement in any kind of mindful or beneficial way if you’re not able to go to the bathroom when you need to, they explain. Or, if you have to worry about violence or harassment while you’re there. Plus, someone might forgo hydrating before or during exercise in order to be able to avoid the bathroom while at the gym, which can put them at increased risk for dehydration and its accompanying, workout-ruining symptoms, like dizziness, nausea, and fatigue.
Broadly speaking, gyms with a gender-neutral locker room or bathroom are going to be more queer-inclusive than those that don’t have that option, Kahn says. The same goes for gyms that have single-stall showers, stand-alone bathrooms, and gender-neutral sauna and steam rooms, they say.”
It’s worth asking
“Whether it’s yoga, Pilates, CrossFit, kickboxing, or another modality altogether, if you’re considering joining a class-based gym, Kahn suggests seeing if instructors always gender the equipment or give instructions based on gender.”
Look for uplifting & empowering rather than just tolerance
“‘When a space is LGBTQ+ inclusive, it can empower individuals to embrace their identities and prioritize self-care,’ says Kahn, who suggests trying to figure out if you might even be able to find the environment uplifting, as opposed to just tolerant.”
More from G&STC Director Jesse Kahn on this topic:
Inclusive spaces make a difference
Any place that involves our bodies, how they move and how they look has the potential to be a vulnerable experience. When spaces are LGBTQ+ safe and affirming, it increases the emotional safety we experience in an already potentially vulnerable space.
Fitness and wellness spaces can be community based spaces for many people, so LGBTQ+ people have a higher likelihood of feeling a sense of belonging and acceptance if a space is LGBTQ+ accepting, which is essential for overall well-being. Inclusive spaces provide an environment where LGBTQ people can focus on their health without fear of judgment or harassment.
Discrimination or microaggressions are harmful to someone’s mental health and well-being and can deter individuals from engaging in physical activity, leading to potential negative health and mental health outcomes.
Why movement is important
Being present in your body through movement, whether that be going on a walk in nature, lifting at the gym, yoga, dance, etc, are all parts of movement that can be deeply grounding, healing and soothing.
What it means to be an inclusive fitness space
An inclusive and safe fitness space for queer folks means creating an environment free from discrimination and microaggressions, where individuals can be their authentic selves without fear of judgment or harassment. It involves implementing policies and practices that actively promote diversity, respect, and acceptance, ensuring everyone feels welcomed and supported in pursuing their fitness goals.
Some examples of creating an inclusive fitness environment can include but is not limited to: single stall showers, saunas/steams, and/or changing rooms that aren’t gendered, making clear policies that allow people to self select locker rooms, not gendering the weight lifting amounts or workouts of the day, training staff on being part of an inclusive environment, having queer people on staff, and gender neutral terminology on forms, documents, and signs.