If you’re a UConn student, you likely know of the Student Recreation Center. It’s a 191,000 square foot gym containing multiple floors of fitness equipment, group workout studios, a climbing and adventure center, racquetball and basketball courts, and a track. This fitness center is extravagant and amazing, but also maybe a little bit intimidating. This is especially true for women, who, unfortunately, are often made to feel uncomfortable or creeped out in public gyms. I asked around to learn a little more about women’s experiences at the UConn Rec Center. Here’s what I discovered:
Unwanted Looks
Several women confided that they receive unwelcome looks, glances, and stares while trying to work out. One commenter on the anonymous social media site Yik Yak shared, “I feel stared at/judged when I go in the section downstairs.” Another stated that she has “been stared at a few times while just trying to work out on the machines upstairs.” Although I’ve never personally been looked at to the point of discomfort at the Rec (or maybe I’m just too oblivious to notice), I can relate to feeling judged, especially by the heavy-lifting men who seem to really know what they’re doing (aka, the “fitness bros”). The second Yik Yak user shared that to combat the unwanted stares, “I just give them a death stare back and they stop.”
Depends on the Part of the Gym
You’ll notice that the prior two commenters mentioned different floors of the Rec: one felt judged downstairs and the other was stared at upstairs. Another user commented, “weights are scary,” referring to one of the lifting sections. In my experience and in talking with other women, I find the bottom floor to be generally more intense and stressful. When I first started working out with my friends, we avoided that section like the plague and admired the girls brave enough to go in. That may be a little extreme, but I can definitely empathize with feeling nervous around that or any particular section of the gym. I’ve never heard anything bad about the fitness studios, the track, or (my personal favorite) the climbing center, so those may be options to check out if you’re looking for a little extra security.
Advice
Many girls I’ve talked to and heard from had advice that went something like this: don’t worry about what anyone thinks of you at the gym; focus on yourself. For anyone who avoids the Rec due to fear of being judged, this may be exactly what you need to hear. Obviously, if anything happens there that makes you feel unsafe or otherwise uncomfortable, let someone know; no one deserves to feel that way at the gym (or anywhere, for that matter). It’s upsetting that women’s comfort at the gym even needs to be discussed– it should be a given, but let’s stick together to ensure that everyone can have a positive experience at the Rec Center.