Something that REALLY bugs me! Caution - RANT ahead :)

**MikeL** · 16th November 2004, 13:40

Well I can't really comment about the separate gym issue. The gym/pool that I go to is fully integrated, no segregation apart obviously from the changing rooms. Whatever perving goes on is too insignificant to mention - I've never seen any woman look uncomfortable or react negatively to any behaviour. Everyone seems too focussed and serious - quite boring, really...
But I can comment about workplace attitudes towards women. My wife was virtually forced out of a good job by the stupid, ignorant, nasty and boorish behaviour of her male colleagues. Because she wasn't "one of the boys" she became a target for subtle and not so subtle forms of bullying. Being "one of the boys" apparently meant cheating on expenses, claiming for more hours worked than were actually done, sloping off before the packup was finished at the end of the day, refusing to take responsibility for anything and sundry other behaviours generally associated with an excess of testosterone and a diminutive cerebrum. I suspect this type of situation occurs quite often. Why are women such a threat to men, I wonder??

**MikeL** · 16th November 2004, 13:48

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Hopefully not a vas deferens...

Hey, that is very witty...

... perhaps too witty?

**StoneChucker** · 16th November 2004, 15:36

Originally Posted by Motoracer

Would you honestly believe that the business would have a chance in hell to run a male only gym?

No, of course not. I probably didn't make myself completely clear earlier, sorry, but I didn't mean to imply that they could. It would certainly be financial suicide. (Although, you MAY make your money from the hordes of gay people joining -

continuing from your joke

)

Originally Posted by Motoracer

Sure there will be a few guys in a similar situation as you but how many exactly

Err, what situation is that?

Like I said much earlier, I wouldn't use a male only gym. I'm just astounded at the discrimination. Continuing from my last post, HONESTLY, what would happen if Massey and Vic Uni built a separate area, and put a sign over the door saying "WHITE ONLY"??? But, it's OK to have "MAORI ONLY", or "WOMEN ONLY"??? Puhleeese

**Jamezo** · 16th November 2004, 17:15

Originally Posted by MikeL

Hey, that is very witty...

... perhaps too witty?

very witty? too witty? no such thing. but hey, vas the deferens?

**Ms Piggy** · 16th November 2004, 18:19

Originally Posted by StoneChucker

Cathy... come now, thats not the answer. Yes it is true in days gone by, and to some extent now, but over compensating is not the answer. How would you feel if you were given things, SOLELY on the fact that you're female? Personally, I wouldn't like that at all.

HAHAHA, guess where I'M going now? GYM :P Going to attempt a decent run

Ohhhhhhhh so it's ok for you to get all hot under the collar about a women only gym but if I feel a little miffed about the history of inequity it's not ok? Hmmmmmmmm...isn't that a little bit of a double standard? For years women were excluded from different things on the basis of gender, so maybe your anger and feelings make you realise how (possibly) a lot of the female population used to feel.

Lucky you're such a sweetie or I'd be very cross!

**KATWYN** · 16th November 2004, 19:02

Originally Posted by Celtic_Sea_lily

Ohhhhhhhh so it's ok for you to get all hot under the collar about a women only gym but if I feel a little miffed about the history of inequity it's not ok? Hmmmmmmmm...isn't that a little bit of a double standard? For years women were excluded from different things on the basis of gender, so maybe your anger and feelings make you realise how (possibly) a lot of the female population used to feel.

Lucky you're such a sweetie or I'd be very cross!

Very well said

**Ghost Lemur** · 16th November 2004, 19:20

Originally Posted by Celtic_Sea_lily

Ohhhhhhhh so it's ok for you to get all hot under the collar about a women only gym but if I feel a little miffed about the history of inequity it's not ok? Hmmmmmmmm...isn't that a little bit of a double standard? For years women were excluded from different things on the basis of gender, so maybe your anger and feelings make you realise how (possibly) a lot of the female population used to feel.

Lucky you're such a sweetie or I'd be very cross!

So which is it then?
He can't be pissed because it's a recent thing (reverse discrimination) and yet you can because it's a historical one. I hate to tell you but you weren't alive throughout that history so I'm sorry but I ain't taking responsibility for something that happened before my time.

As for inequity, I'm sorry but I don't buy it. As I said I've got no more problem with a womens gym than I do with a gentlemens club. If a group of people want to have an enviroment to themselves more power. The hypocracy is glaring though.

The number of Feminists who are really just boring old sexists is scarey.

As slightly illustrated earlier by yourself and someone else (I don't remember who). The emancipation (jr/mikel right word?) of males that is happening in society at the moment is shocking. Why is it happening? For hystorical sins. That sucks, no man alive today should be responsible for something he didn't even do.
Not to mention you look around. Prime Minister's a woman, Telecom and TelstraClear CEOs are women. Women can do anything they want already. As for the indervidual cases of sexism, that sucks, so does the reversal though. How many males getting into early childhood are going to last the distance with the constant stares over their shoulder, etc.

Illustration time: It has just taken me over two years in order to get custody of my two sons. And the only reason it happened so "quickly" was the ex finally decided to relent. There was violence in the relationship (not by me), I had the backing of CYPS, the shrink appointed by the court, hell even her parents, and it still got draged out. She was still given oportunities to fuck with them, where if the roles had been reversed it would have been all-she-wrote in 6 months tops and I'd never be able to see the boys again. Fair? NO. Equitible? BS. Sexist as fuck? Damn straight.

Talking of cases hope you're hanging it there and not letting the bastards get to you Celticno6.

**KATWYN** · 16th November 2004, 19:38

Originally Posted by Ghost Lemur

The number of Feminists who are really just boring old sexists is scarey.

Ghost, you have a good point; there is a difference here. Sexism & feminism

I've noticed in these threads that all of us (me included) that are particulary "wound up" about this sexism subject, have been subjected to
it in someway and at some point it has affected our lives.....therefore its pretty easy to rant about it.

**StoneChucker** · 16th November 2004, 20:35

Originally Posted by Celtic_Sea_lily

Lucky you're such a sweetie or I'd be very cross!

Aww, thanks Cathy, and I rely on that to get me out of trouble. Do I have any sweetie credits left?

I don't mean to offend you in any way, honestly. I think you may have misunderstood me though. What I meant was, you responded to

Originally Posted by sAsLex

How is it that there is a womens space in uni a maori space a pacific island space etc yet no white male space??

with

Originally Posted by Celtic_Sea_lily

It's b/c the whole world has been white male space for many many years!

What I meant was, that it's not fair to discriminate against people living today, for what people living in previous generations have done. At no time should there ever have been a "white male space", but because there was, it's caused no end of problems now. Like Apartheid in South Africa. I am so glad that I grew up right at the end of it. And today, even though there were heaps of atrocities committed against black people, there are no black only areas in SA today. Yes, there is discrimination in other forms, but that is another huge topic all in itself.
Anyhow, sometimes I don't express what I'm thinking articulately enough.

**Jamezo** · 16th November 2004, 20:49

Maddox has a thing or two to say about feminism: http://maddox.xmission.com/feminazi.html

Worth a laugh at least

**Ms Piggy** · 16th November 2004, 22:26

Originally Posted by Jamezo

Maddox has a thing or two to say about feminism: http://maddox.xmission.com/feminazi.html

Worth a laugh at least

Definitely worth a laugh. I do 2 out of 3 of those

Hey Stoney - you didn't offend me I was just making a point but, I do get sick of men talking about women like they know how it is for us.

I'm not gonna get into a big rant about it cos there are too many rants at the moment and I'm not some man hating feminazi either, quite the opposite in fact! I am a big man fan in fact

I just think that it's very naive and kinda arrogant to try and say "Ok, thats the way it was so please forget about it now and act like it never happened so we can move on." These things take time to sort out and to get back to Daves original point, I for 1 would much rather go to a Gym with women only and if men wanna have men only Gym go for it.

Yes there is some 'reverse' discrimination these days but its funny how a man gets supported for making point or complaint and a woman gets slagged off and called a raving feminazi. Possibly not explaining this too well oh well, don't take me too seriously b/c I could change my mind in a week...but then again that is a gals prerogative.

**bluninja** · 16th November 2004, 23:01

Originally Posted by rodgerd

No, you can't. I've tried that route once. It's exhorbitantly expensive if you're doing any reasonably heavy weights. A decent squat rack, olympic bar, and weights costs serious $$$.

In reply to this, and the smells of bullshit jibe....

It depends how you work it out. If you want to recreate a luxury gym in your own home for your exclusive personal use then you can't make a case. However if I took expenditure on gyms over a 5 year period for both me and my wife, was prepared to purchase second hand equipment to start with and bought only the equipment that we needed for our particular needs it would work out cheaper....especially if you substituted a 1/2 meter box for the stepping maching, a real cycle instead of an exercise cycle and actually walked and jogged instead of standing on a treadmill. A chest strap and wrist monitor for heart rate could allow you to manage/monitor your aerobic performance.

You don't need to go to the gym to get fit...you just go to get pampered and have a social.

BTW if Olympic bar and heavy weights are too expensive you could use some scaffold poles with 50 gallon oil drums full of water welded to them. Some people huh? They want everything done for them ....no effort ...or thinking on their part.

Hooked yet?

**StoneChucker** · 17th November 2004, 09:52

bluninja

Yeah, when you put it like that, if you wanted just 1 piece of equipment then yes. But I didn't think you meant running on the road, I thought you meant buying a treadmill...

Celtic_Sea_lily

After you explained yourself again, I completely see what you're saying. I hadn't thought about it that way, which I guess is why public discussions are good, to share, and gain new perspectives. But I'm sad to hear you would use a women only gym... How are us guys supposed to check you out??? HAHAHAH, err JOKING

**Ms Piggy** · 17th November 2004, 13:25

Originally Posted by StoneChucker

But I'm sad to hear you would use a women only gym... How are us guys supposed to check you out??? HAHAHAH, err JOKING

Thats just a personal thang, guys can check me out anytime

And why do ya think I go swimming? Men in speedos.........

NC · 17th November 2004, 13:42

I'm so going to join Les Mills and annoy you by training in the boys and girls gym...And I'm going to lift weights next to you, and make sure I'm doing at least 20kgs more than you

Don't stress dude...have you looked at other gym set ups?