Hey hey, Warrior! Today I’ve got the third installment of my Gatekeeping Series. You can read the intro here and last month’s post here. We communicate a lot about ourselves before we even open our mouths. And one way we do that is through our clothing.
Scroll through the iNfLuEnCeRs on your social media platform of choice and you’ll probably notice something. Most of the guys are shirtless and most of the girls are in a sports bra and either tight or short (sometimes both) bottoms. And I could get into the fact that these individuals ascribe to the gender-normal stereotypes for attractiveness leaving LGBTQIA+ individuals without representation, but that’s a rant for another day.
Now, I want to be very clear here. I have absolutely no problem with anyone dressing how they want to dress. It is, as I have already pointed out, one of the ways we communicate to the world who we are. My issue stems from the fact that these individuals are dressed as they are because the algorithms have taught them it will stop the scroll.
As humans, our brains are programmed to take a second look when we see an attractive member of the species. It was biologically necessary. But dressing this way in the exercise/fitness/wellness space may do more harm than good.
Again, I am not coming for anyone who is just trying to get their workout in and feels more comfortable dressed a certain way. You do you. Just, you know, wipe down equipment when you’re done. Sometimes certain clothes allow less restricted ranges of motion or you don’t have to adjust as much. That’s clutch if you want or need to be super focused on your workout.
But for those individuals who are putting themselves out there as instructors, resources, or some type of authority, I think the clothing chosen can have far reaching ramifications. Many exercisers will cite gym-timidation as a real deterrent. Watching gym staff dressed a certain way can certainly increase this feeling. To say nothing of creating an atmosphere of body shame.
Body shaming is not always overt bullying either. Walking into a place where you don’t see bodies like yours can cause feelings of shame. The inherent knowledge that you should be clothed in a way that you don’t find comfortable (physically, mentally, or emotionally) can be a form of body shaming. By dressing in these ways, we as instructors may be gatekeeping.
In my previous two installments, I talked a bit about how I myself was guilty of some of the practices I was calling out. It is the way I was trained. I learned to measure intensity, duration, and type of exercise and equate it to the positive benefits of movement. Clothing, though, I find myself clearly on the other end of the spectrum.
I grew up as the overweight (albeit it moderately athletic) kid. I had no trouble keeping up with friends running around the neighborhood. But as I got older and movement shifted from fun to planned, I became very aware that my body did not look the way I was told it should. Even doing workout videos at home was intimidating because I knew my body wasn’t built to look like the graceful, svelte bodies on the VHS tape.
As I moved through high school and college, I remained fairly active, but I chose things that I could do in baggy shirts. When I started personal training, I knew that I needed to wear clothing that would suit the job (comfortable, flexible, able to clearly demo motion), but to also look professional. And all these years later as a teacher, I still think about what I am wearing to class very clearly.
Because first and foremost, I am an authority. I have an advanced degree and a lot of years of experience. I want to be taken seriously. Secondly, and most importantly, it’s not about me. Yes, I am demonstrating exercises and my body is providing the guide for my students. But it is my responsibility as the authority in the room to be as welcoming through my clothing as I can.
Maybe some of my students are LGBTQIA+ and are struggling with definitions of masculine and feminine. Maybe someone in the room is recovering from an eating disorder and is easily triggered by certain body features. Perhaps someone in class is more modest and feels uneasy. Or someone is just at a point where they don’t feel completely comfortable in their own skin.
Most of the time we as practitioners won’t know these things until it is too late. Rather than be part of creating unsafe spaces or need to apologize, assume that everyone who sees you has some body ish they are dealing with. Remember that they will see you before you can ever open your mouth. What do you want them to think and feel?
