“Do you want a spot?”
I bite my lip and catch myself tightening my grip.
Even though I can feel their eyes on me from the second I’m in the gym, I cringe every time I hear it.
“I’m good thanks,” I say. I consciously loosen my grip and take a deep breath.
“No, no, let him do it. He’s just trying to be a gentleman.”
There’s always a second try. An attempt to prove that it was a sweet offer and not in the least bit sexist.
How is it anything but sexist?
When I tell people these stories, the immediate assumption is that maybe it was an innocent gesture. I’ve tried to tell myself the same but it always comes down to one question: Would they have made the same offer to a man?
No.
Is it because I look like I’m struggling? When I’m squatting 285 lbs beside them as they load 225 lbs on the bar for themselves, I don’t think so.
Sexism in sports isn’t new. Only seven per cent of sports media coverage is devoted to women and only 0.4 per cent of commercial sponsorship go to women’s sport, according to the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation.
When media does cover female athletes, they are traditionally hypersexualized. The focus is on a female’s sexual appeal and femininity while male athletes receive attention for their scorecards.
Public figures such as actress and UN ambassador Emma Watson are working to change misconceptions about feminism in order to improve gender equality and break systemic sexism.
Athletes such as Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe and Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas have also been advocates for equality in sports.
GLAMOUR magazine launched an awareness campaign, Say No To Sexism in Sport, in January of this year.
The campaign aims to raise the profile of women’s sport, lobby for more mainstream coverage and increase the number of women involved at every level.
Initiatives such as these are important to increase awareness in traditionally male-dominated industries. But if we really want to make an impact, we need a grassroots approach.
Women routinely shy away from the weight sections of gym because it’s not worth the trouble.
Yes, it is intimidating to lift weights with no experience, but it is even more intimidating and uncomfortable to do so with a dozen sets of male eyes peering your way.
For women who choose to lift despite long, uncomfortable stares and unwanted propositions, it can be a disappointing reminder of how sexism both overtly and subtly remains persistent.
One of the biggest problems with these sexist comments is how few feel comfortable speaking up.
Often men are cringing nearby as they eavesdrop but don’t know how to speak up. Women don’t speak up out of fear of being labelled a bitch.
Nancy Lublic, CEO of DoSomething.org, took on sexism in the workplace with a creative twist.
If any of her staff says something sexist, another person can shout out the trigger word pineapple. The person caught making a sexist remark has to immediately drop and do 10 pushups.
This isn’t going to create global gender equality, but it’s an unusual step to draw attention to the issue at a basic level.
Experiencing sexism first-hand or as a witness can be genuinely awkward and uncomfortable. Having a creative approach helps people feel at ease speaking up.