compilerbitch

I’d like to join a gym again. I like working out. I get very little exercise right now, and weight machines and treadmills are a couple of the things that do work for me without causing damage (iffy tendons due to some unspecified variant of arthritis). I’d like to be able to go swimming again, something I’ve not really done more than a couple of times in 20 years.

So why don’t I just go and do that?

Well, the reason is pretty simple: fear.

I’m a member of the T in LGBT. This means that I’m essentially at risk anywhere that might be transphobic by policy. If a gym or pool manager decided to call the cops because, oh, you know, I’d taken a pee in the bathroom, I stand a pretty decent chance of ending up dead, incarcerated, deported or even ‘just’ traumatized to the point where I won’t want to leave the house for a couple of years. I would also be at risk if some random asshole-of-the-public decided to call 911, too, but I have less control over that.

Today Gina and I were talking about the possibility of joining a gym, ideally one with a pool, that would let me work out while Gina swims. 24 Hour Fitness seemed like a good option, being that they have a location fairly close to us. I decided to check them out. I’d been a member a few years ago for a while, but let it lapse. I’d never had problems whilst there, but I avoided the locker room and was close enough to home that I could get away with not changing in the gym.

This time around, I wanted to really know what their policies were. From their web site (24 Hour Fitness Membership Policies):

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY STATEMENT

24 Hour seeks, enrolls and maintains memberships without regard to race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, sexual orientation or age. It is further club policy that no circumstance or conduct undertaken by club personnel shall have the effect of discrimination on the basis of any of the aforementioned classifications. All club members shall have full and equal access to the club facility. All members with disabilities shall be entitled to reasonable accommodations for their physical and mental impairments. Any member who believes that he/she is/has been treated unfairly on any of the aforementioned matters should first report to club management or to 24 Hour at 1 (800) 432-6348.

At first sight, this looks like a really good statement. However, there is one thing missing. Exactly one thing missing. I’m not going to belabor the point by spelling it out, but whenever I see this, I can’t help translating this as:

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY STATEMENT

24 Hour welcomes absolutely everyone. NO WAIT, NOT YOU, YOU CAN FUCK OFF. It is further club policy that no circumstance or conduct undertaken by club personnel shall have the effect of discrimination on the basis of any of the aforementioned classifications, BUT PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE FAIR GAME. All club members shall have full and equal access to the club facility (REMEMBER, NOT YOU). All members with disabilities shall be entitled to reasonable accommodations for their physical and mental impairments (BUT NOT YOU). &c, blah blah blah.

Yeah, that’s nice. Makes you feel all fuzzy and welcome, yes?

Please note: this was cross-posted from my main blog at http://www.mageofmachines.com/main/2015/09/06/transgymophobia/ -- If you want me to definitely see your replies, please reply there rather than here.

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