Natalee B Fitness’s women-only gym isn’t transphobic – just misguided

When I saw Natalee B Fitness’s Instagram post about her new women-only gym in London, called The Girls Spot, I couldn’t help but smile. 

We’ve all heard stories and seen gym interactions between men and women that have left the latter uncomfortable, and The Girls Spot seemed like a brilliant initiative designed to prioritise women’s safety in a traditionally male dominated space. 

But then I saw something I didn’t expect: that The Girls Spot would be ‘a single sex gym for those biologically female’. 

Essentially, trans women and non-binary people will not be welcome there when it opens. 

It’s clear to me – and many, many people in her comment section – that she should reconsider. 

Natalee’s justification for making this a trans-exclusive gym is based on ‘ensuring a space where women who have experienced trauma, harassment, or discomfort in co-ed gyms can feel at ease’. 

But it couldn’t be clearer to me that while her intention of protecting women is wonderful, it should not come at the expense of the trans community. 

Trans and cisgender women are not enemies to one another, and during this epidemic of violence against women, girls and all minorities communities, we all have to stand together.

Being a brown, trans, non-binary person – who was raised a girl, by strong women, and as a fellow survivor of sexual assault, I can somewhat empathise with her experiences.

I can imagine how hard she has had to work to get this gym to be a real space and I truly hope she can celebrate that. It is something worth celebrating.

But anyone who seeks to create spaces for women to feel safe should take into consideration all women – including those who do not always look and sound like them. 

Even the ones like me – the non-binary, they/them’s with ‘interesting’ hairstyles are deserving of safety. Whether that safety is online, down the high street, in the kebab shop after a late night or at an early morning gym class.

Safety in gyms has been a problem for some time – a recent survey by Origym has found that one in three women want female only gyms in order to feel safer. 

They found that 61% of women gym goers experienced harassment from men while working out – like inappropriate comments, jeering, and too-close physical contact.

It’s no surprise that a women-only gym is sought after – and Natalee’s announcement at first was welcomed because of this.

But excluding trans women for safety reasons is a result of looking in the wrong direction. 

The most frequent perpetrators of misogyny and violence against women (including trans women and people perceived to be women, like myself) are cisgender men. Men who are, unfortunately, raised from a young age to believe in constructed gender roles.

Trans women using Natalee’s gym would likely pose as much ‘threat’ to fellow gym members as cisgender women in that space would. 

Every one who signs up to The Girls Spot is seeking safety from the male gaze, unwanted comments, staring, touch and ultimately, violence. The trans clients would be no different.

Trans people have and continue to experience harm and discrimination in the UK, a women-only gym should be a safe space for them, too.

I think she needs to reconsider her policy if she seriously wants to have a nuanced, ongoing conversation about the safety of women. 

Because, ultimately, trans women need safe spaces, too. 

Despite my disappointment with Natalee’s decision, I don’t agree with the way she’s been branded a ‘transphobe’ – it does not help us develop a constructive conversation. And although we’re angry, I feel like we should offer empathy to those we disagree with.

Especially at a time when we are attempting to better understand one another and foster communities where anyone can feel safe. 

At the end of the day, we are all victims of the patriarchy – to male violence, misinformation and hate.

Surely. the real goal is for there to be enough spaces for all women and non binary people to exercise safely, access support, resources and expert advice?

All women, cis, trans, and anyone who identifies with that word – we have more in common than we don’t.

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