Tales of the Gym - Sexist or Courteous?

I recently posted about Carioca Gym Fasion because I was on the brink of signing up for a gym in my building and I was stressing about how to dress. Well, I signed up for the gym and I didn’t buy the giant socks or the swirly shorts, but I did give in and get a push up sports bra (good advice Rachel! ).

It’s obvious that the Gym is a place to be and be seen. Take for example, the following real life conversation between my Namo and I while he was getting dressed for the gym:

Namo: What should I wear to the gym?
Me: Who cares? Your red shorts and green shirt.
Namo: too Christmas.
Me: fine, yellow shorts green shirt.
Namo: too Brazilian Flag.
Me: Red shorts, blue shirt.
Namo: eck, too American Pride.
Me: Jesus! It’s the gym not a fashion show!!!
Namo: ……..wait, are you serious?...........

Well, despite the fact that I don’t exactly dress the part, I think I made a friend at the gym. It’s the creepy old man that works at the gym; possibly the manager. Unfortunately, manager-man doesn’t know the difference between being sexist and being courteous.

Case in point:

I was the only one on the treadmill the other day and there was a soccer game playing on TV (big surprise). I witnessed him getting into a huge argument with some other gym employees and it all seemed to be directed at me. I panicked that maybe I wasn’t meant to be on the machine for some reason. Eventually, manager-man won the argument. He glided over to me with this look in his eye, picked up the remote control and switched the channel to a fashion show. Then gave me a giant Thumbs-up and a “Ive got your back” wink.


It was nice of him to fight for my right to watch what I want...but he probably should have asked me if he actually cared. I guess this could be reasoned down to making generalizations based on my gender rather than sexism. Unfortunately, my point is completely invalidated by the fact that I really enjoyed the fashion show and stayed on the treadmill for about 20 extra minutes because of it ( 1/2 because I enjoyed the show, 1/2 because of those skinny bitches).

Carioca Gym Fashion

After putting it off for the past year (yes...year) I think it is finally time to join the gym. My decision was made easier by the fact that there is a gym in my building, so I don't even have to go outside to get there. Unfortunately for me, that means no excuses when it's raining.

Starting at a new gym can be kind of awkward. I always go into it with a game plan. Enter. Go straight to the treadmill/elliptical. Scope out the other machines while I'm running in order to figure out where I want to go next. However, I have absolutely no endurance, so I begin to panic after about 5 minutes because I haven't yet decided where to go.

All of this and I worked at a 24hour fitness for a year.

Now, my biggest predicament isn't figuring out what machines to use (because anyone who has ever stepped foot in a brazilian gym or clothing store knows that they are overemployed to the point of being intimidating "pois não senhora" "pois não moça" "pois não querida"...)

No no no, my biggest problem is the unbelievable Carioca gym fashion. I once had a Brazilian Teacher (Roberto DaMatta, famous Brazilian Anthropologist and prof at PUC) tell me that American women are more oppressed by mochismo than we realize...just look at what we wear to the gym and the office, men's clothes.

My wearing "men's clothes" to the gym is not because I think it is an inherintly manly place and I want to fit in. I am at the gym because I feel like a fat ass (in a bad way, not a brazilian way) and I don't want my junk hanging out all over the place in front of the fitties coming out of spin class.

In addition to not wanting to wear a backless, skin tight body suit with cutouts down the legs, I do not want to wear those ridiculous socks! Brazilians can rationalize it all they want, but they are straight fugly!

So what do I do? Suck it up and wear the socks because I already stand out like a sore thumb? Or let my inner man free?

What do you all wear to the gym?