This Girls-Only Dream Gym Packed With Thoughtful Details Is Making Some Folks Call It ‘Segregation’
Interview
We all want to look and feel great, so going to a gym is definitely a great option. Although not all women, for one reason or other, might feel comfortable sharing the gym with men. This fitness gym in Kansas, US has come up with a genius way to take care of their female patrons: have an all-women facility. Recently, thanks to TikToker Heather Huesman, it went viral in a video. It was received with different reactions and even managed to spark a discussion, with some men calling it ‘segregation.’
The video, with now over 6M views, takes a peek into the amenities and thoughtful details that are created specifically for women to feel welcome and safe.
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Heather, a 23-year-old server, decided to share her experience attending a gym that is for female patrons only
Image credits: heatherhuesman
Blush Fitness in Overland Park, Kansas was created following security measures to make women feel extra safe and comfortable. While women-only gyms have existed before, this particular place takes an extra step to meet female needs. Heather, a 23-year-old girl who works as a server and takes care of her fitness, shared the viral video to illustrate her experience exercising there. The reel went viral on TikTok with 1.7M likes and 63.1K comments and counting. She didn’t expect the video to go viral to this extent: “I’m glad that we got the word out about it, though, because now women who have been planning on opening their own gym see how successful it can be! I heard people talking about all-women’s gyms, but I’d never actually seen one, so I thought this would be the perfect way to spread the word.”
The windows are tinted so that no one walking by is able to see inside
Image credits: heatherhuesman
The video shows Heather and her friend entering Blush Fitness through its tinted glass entrance—its windows ensure that no one is peeking inside as they walk by. The female-only gym members can use the facilities 24/7 with a key fob as the front door is locked. The members of the gym are notified when male staff will be in the building, stating the exact times.
The member gym is open 24/7 and it’s always locked with fob key access
Image credits: heatherhuesman
Blush Fitness also posts male staff working hours to take their services a step ahead
Image credits: heatherhuesman
Most of the features are the same as any given gym, but some details are extra special. In case anyone needs feminine products, they are free and available from vending machines in the bathroom. And Heather seemed to be quite satisfied with the place as her caption reads “The BEST GYM! We need these everywhere, we feel so safe and comfortable going to the gym, gonna be my new favorite spot!”
Bored Panda spoke to Heather about the reasons behind her choice of an all-girls gym: “I joined because going to the gym around men made me really nervous. I knew I wanted to go but I was scared of either being judged or looked at while I was there. Men also always take up ALL the machines! I definitely think it’s important. I feel so safe working out there, and we see too many videos of women being catcalled or having their photo taken while they’re at the gym. I think all-women’s, and even all-men’s gyms should be a thing In almost every city!”
Menstrual products are free and available in the bathrooms
Image credits: heatherhuesman
Other than well-thought-out details, the gym has all the regular equipment for exercise
Image credits: heatherhuesman
The Blush Fitness gym that was featured in the video, making sure all the safety measures are met and taking it to a new level, was, however, called discriminatory in the comments. Some women explained that perhaps it is due to men’s behavior that such gyms have started to appear and there’s no surprise in that.
Kelly Gellert, the mastermind behind the now-viral facility, and her husband Max, told Bored Panda that they came up with the idea for a women-only gym while owning an Anytime Fitness in 2014. Max noticed that one of his large personal training groups that were all women didn’t want to work out with the free weights without him, and on the days they were not training together, they would just do cardio. “When these members were asked about what was causing them to skip weight lifting workouts on their own, they all replied that they didn’t feel comfortable, felt judged, guys were looking at them, etc. From this feedback, Max began asking the female members how they would like it if they had a whole gym to themselves to weight-lift in. And they all loved the idea! A year later, we sold our Anytime Fitness and opened up BLUSH FITNESS.” The business proved successful immediately after opening and now there are 5 Blush Boot Camp locations (that, by the way, offer free babysitting) and 9 franchises, and it keeps on expanding rapidly.
Image credits: heatherhuesman
The video on TikTok has ben viewed over 6M times and has more than 1.7M likes
Image credits: heatherhuesman
Many women and even some men agreed that the idea of an all-girls gym is brilliant. Some comments were noting that Blush Fitness is a perfect option for Muslim women so that they can work out in a modest facility. But like quite a few things that are made for women only, it annoyed some men, who called the move of designing a gym for all girls ‘segregation’ and claimed that it was a thing ’60 years ago’ and someone even shared that ‘this doesn’t sound like equality.’
About the comments calling a women-only gym ‘segregation,’ Heather thinks that “they just want something to be mad about, honestly. I would have no problem if I heard of an all-men’s gym. If men are mad that there’s such thing as an all-women’s gym, it’s because they feel the need to look at women while they’re there. However, I honestly don’t understand why it’s getting men so riled up, when simply it’s to make women feel more comfortable going to the gym. Men can be really mean at the gym! This makes it feel like a safe space for women to start the first step on their journey.” And Kelly, the owner of Bliss Fitness, agreed with her. “Being called segregated is unfair because the need for a women-only gym is created by males, so what else are we supposed to do?” She also added that “Our mission is to provide a safe and comfortable workout environment for women and we strive to uphold that vision each and every day.”
Most comments were supportive towards the idea of a women-only gym; however, some men were using word ‘segregation’ and doubting its equality
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Some people don't understand. This is equity, not equality. Equity is giving women all these special hours and safety because they need it. It's about raising everyone up to an equal platform.
Nothing's wrong with women-only gym. Men and women train differently.
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Y'all saying "didn't segregation end 60 years ago?" and you're not wrong, but sexism ought to have ended a century ago, but we still doing that.
Sexism ought to have never been a thing. We've had countless civilizations, religions and institutions that have all had opportunities to fix the problem of sexism and most have continually failed to do so (oftentimes for lack of caring or trying, because subjugating women benefited them).
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I'm down with a gym that is for women only, but I'm curious how they will deal with nonbinary/non-transitioned women. If a biological male walks in and says they are a woman, do they get a membership or will they be denied? I have no strong opinion one way or the other, just a mild curiosity how the hypothetical would play out.
This is actually one of the big issues regarding gender fluidity. The only way for them to feel fully included in society is to create a gender neutral world which sadly, isn't possible or realistic. I say this with respect btw, I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings.
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Some people don't understand. This is equity, not equality. Equity is giving women all these special hours and safety because they need it. It's about raising everyone up to an equal platform.
Nothing's wrong with women-only gym. Men and women train differently.
Load More Replies... Y'all saying "didn't segregation end 60 years ago?" and you're not wrong, but sexism ought to have ended a century ago, but we still doing that.
Sexism ought to have never been a thing. We've had countless civilizations, religions and institutions that have all had opportunities to fix the problem of sexism and most have continually failed to do so (oftentimes for lack of caring or trying, because subjugating women benefited them).
Load More Replies... I'm down with a gym that is for women only, but I'm curious how they will deal with nonbinary/non-transitioned women. If a biological male walks in and says they are a woman, do they get a membership or will they be denied? I have no strong opinion one way or the other, just a mild curiosity how the hypothetical would play out.
This is actually one of the big issues regarding gender fluidity. The only way for them to feel fully included in society is to create a gender neutral world which sadly, isn't possible or realistic. I say this with respect btw, I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings.
Load More Replies...
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