little miss muscles

missdeejers:

leahlionheart:

It’s doing a disservice to women, everywhere, who want to get in shape.

Wanting to look good naked is a totally respectable and legitimate reason to train and eat right. To attain an aesthetic ideal is a completely good reason.

But to make the entire purpose of training (or even most of the…

While I agree with the sentiment that we need to stop fetishizing women’s fitness (as well as other, important, normal aspects of women’s lives), I have a bone to pick with the language used and points made, here.

do it for yourself. Period.

When I’m at the gym, the vast majority of other women are wearing makeup, tight clothes, and spend their time just walking around aimlessly between machines

The juxtaposition of these sentences indicates that the vast majority of women wearing makeup, tight clothes, or who use the machines at the gym are not doing it for themselves, and thus, are wearing makeup, tight clothes, or using the machines for the incorrect reasons.

Firstly, I feel it is incorrect to assume that these women are not doing these things for themselves. And while I understand and acknowledge that the patriarchal society in which we lives demonstrably influences the way men and women act, look, and treat each other, I believe it is perpetuating the cycle of patriarchy to assume that these women are in the moment, being influenced in their day-to-day decisions. By automatically assuming that every woman who wears makeup to the gym is being influenced by men is to automatically call into question the assumptions that that woman has made. That is to say, by automatically assuming that a woman is doing something for the wrong reasons because in the past, similar women in similar situations have done things for the “wrong reasons” we are calling into question that women’s individual authority to make her own decisions.

Secondly, even if she is wearing makeup and tight clothes to the gym in order to catch the attention of men, I believe it is also perpetuating the cycle of oppression to pass judgement on her actions as incorrect. Everyone person has the right to be their own person; that is to say, that each person, has the right to develop their own gender identity in any way they see feet, to fit any sort of ideals or feelings that have and/or believe, even if the gender identity falls into line with the historically patriarchial or heternormative identity. That is not to say that they have chosen their identity because of heternormative history (although some might have), but that even if they have, they have a right to do that, just the same as anyone who choose to develop their own gender identity that falls out of the traditional line. Judgment should not be passed in either direction. And I believe that by passing judgment in either direction, a person is imposing their own gender identity upon another human.

There’s a seemingly pathological fear of sweating or actually doing any kind of work. Because god forbid they fall outside the realm of what’s conventionally considered attractive. 

Ideas like these impose upon people the idea that if one (particularily, if that person happens to be a conventional woman) is doing work, than one cannot also be attractive. It imposes upon people that because women cannot simultaneously be pretty and be useful/strong/sweaty that they should hold no bars against embracing the unpretty side of themselves and (because the sentence/sentiment implies that you can either be pretty or you can either be useful/strong) they should embrace the strong. I believe this is just perpetuating the same patriarchy that it at first glance, appears to be fighting. It is telling women the same thing that they have been told for thousands of years: Women are pretty, men are useful. Women are delicate, men are strong. Women, if they choose to be useful and strong, and thus, choosing to be like men, cannot also be pretty and delicate. By creating these dichotomies, we are setting up everyone to have merely 1-Dimensional personalities. I do not understand why people who are for the equality of all genders, insist on setting up these dichotomies that create these caricatures that we love to hate?

Additionally, I think it is incorrect to believe that women are the only ones who are getting “pretty” to go fuck around at the gym. I have seen plenty of straight, bi, pan, and gay men who use the gym merely to pick up other dudes. I have also seen plenty of women and men who get pretty and dressed up and match their shoes to their headbands and then work their asses off. In fact, every time I go to the gym, I see one of those women. Because I am one of those women. I get “pretty” to run to the gas station; I apply makeup and straighten my hair before I got to the gym. I match my sports bra to my shoes and my makeup matches my pants. You know why I do these things? Because that is just who I am. I have had plenty of people in my life tell me that I am pretty without makeup, that it is okay to go places without getting “pretty.” I know that. I know I am pretty without makeup and that no one will take a second glance if I don’t wear any. But I don’t care. Just as I lift weights just for me, I also wear makeup just for me. That is the identity I have forged for myself.

Not to mention, I think that as long as they are not bothering you or people who are trying to work, people have a right to use the gym however they want. They could use it as a catwalk, for all I care, and for all you should care. They pay to use the gym, just as you pay to use the gym.

Additionally, athletic men are frequently fetishized. Seriously, David Beckham, anyone? (Not to say that women are not moreso fetishized in fitness or everyday life, but that rather, we need to quit minimizing people’s worth to their looks, no matter what genitals they were or were not born with).

tl;dr: I think that passing judgement on what women (or men) choose to do at or wear to the gym, is frequently reinforces patriarchy, without us knowing it. What other people wear/do is of no business to anyone else.

P.S. I do not intend for this to be, in any way, confrontational to Ms. Leah. I deeply respect and admire Leah. My rant is to merely point out that I disagree with the sentiment/language used. I frequently see posts similar to this and I just have a lot of thoughts about these types of things. That is merely what is intended by my post.

P.P.S I did not proof read. Fair Warning.