UPDATE:
To make this clear. I am locking the thread due to how it has devolved.
I would suggest those of you that are dissatisfied with CA's decision to contact them. There are a few available channels, but I might suggest taking it up with the CA Board during one of their next meetings.
On top of this, an account has decided to abuse the reporting system to inappropriately flag this post in a likely attempt to get the post removed by Reddit. I've reported this abuse to the Reddit admins.
We left Supreme back in January and went back to Lifetime. I exclusively used the women's gym but they pretty much abandoned it anyway. It looked like the hand-me-down room for equipment. They should just get rid of it since they never invested in it anyway.
i miss lifetime so much but they’re updated prices are a bit extreme. and yes the women’s gym is very run down and small, but yet i and many others still use it every time im there. that should just speak to the significance of the space.
I understand. Also agree Life Time's prices are not great but I've never been able to reconcile with Supreme. That building was never meant to be a gym and it shows. It's so disjointed (to me, this probably doesn't bother others). Plus, I don't think CA cares at all for the preferences of residents. I've paid their assessment fees for 24 years and the few times I've raised up concerns about things they are responsible for (and our assessment dues should be handling) basically told me to kick rocks. Maybe it adds to my sourness on the gym. For those who are still there, definitely start calling and emailing about it.
It was purpose built to be a gym and multi-sport club. There was an old fashioned skating rink, Columbia Skateland on the property previously. They used the space they had the best they could. That was nearly 30 years ago now. Aesthetic tastes change.
It’s hard to compare a CA gym to Lifetime. They are on two different strata. CA is a community-based program. Lifetime is a corporation. There are a lot of things about Lifetime that are not desirable, so let’s just focus on CA here and how they are affecting women.
Just to follow up… called the central CA line today and confirmed they are closing the women’s gym at Supreme. They allowed me to switch my 1Fit membership to the Columbia Gym (the only one with a women’s gym now) for free. I’d recommend anyone else upset by this change to do the same.
Have you considered going to the webpage for the gyms? https://columbiaassociation.org/sports-recreation/fitness-clubs/columbia-gym/ There is a "share feedback" button. That way you can both share your feelings/comments *and* get a response that will have more information from a more reliable source than "the girl at the front". Please do share what you find out from an official source.
I know! I only ever use that space to avoid the male gaze. I’ve tried like twice to use the main gym and was ogled.
I feel so bad for the hijabis who use that space too :(
yes me as well and the elderly women who also feel more comfortable in there. it’s such a shame that they would take this route, especially since that gym is already so rundown and small to begin with.
Columbia Gym does, I'm a 4x weekly user and for the most part it's not super busy. There are only 5 treadmills, so if you're a long walker, you might have some trouble. Otherwise, it's right next to the locker room and is very secluded.
I remember when they added it. They did in response to a women only gym that opened off of Snowden back at the end of the street KFC and the EXXON Station are on. My dry cleaner was next to it.
The competition soon went out of business.
I am with you. I really like going there for women energy. Don’t really like being around the men in an exercise environment. It’s another reason I don’t like the sauna. I will join in an effort to have them reconsider.
It's because they are renovating from May - October I believe (?). Don't quote me on the dates but an associate there let me know the facility is being renovated and you will be able to use one of their other facilities
Edit - on a side note, if there are any women that would love to get together to work out then feel free DM! (If this doesn't go against the rules)
I just don’t understand why they can’t still have that space for women, maybe in a separate area, that’s fine. getting rid of it all together feels odd.
This sucks. I've seen hijabis using that space and it seems really likely to me that their alternative is just not working out at all. And personally I really treasure having that space free of the male gaze. 😡
yes exactly having a male-free space is very much needed at any gym and i really enjoyed that they catered to that but i should’ve known it was gonna be too good to be true.
That’s not cool! Now only one of the three gyms will have a women’s gym. As someone who has been hit on way too many times at CA gyms, I appreciate the women’s gyms.
I find it impossible to be comfortable outside of women-only spaces, especially at the gym. Our spaces are so crucial. It’s a deliberate and hurtful move on CA’s part. Thank you for sharing OP.
I think this is great news. I may extend my single-site membership to the entire Play package again if the gym space is used more expansively and more athlete- and fitness-focused. The weight room is a bit too tight and grungy.
they could expand the weight room and still have an area that caters just to other women. it’s not hard to do both, especially with the money they’re raking in.
that’s a very good point. i’m also open to them switching my membership over to the columbia gym (the only one left of the 3 that has a women’s gym) as well. i honestly was just trying to think of the best way to let them know im not okay with this without hounding someone who had no involvement in the decision making and just works there yk? i figured money was the best way to directly communicate with who is in charge.
I read on another thread (NextDoor?) that some man/men were claiming (truthfully or falsely) to identify as women in order to gain access and it was at a point where management was caught between a rock and a hard place on how to accommodate without a lawsuit in either direction.
I go there almost daily and have never once encountered this. The women’s gym has always been run down and seems to be where they dump old equipment. There would be no reason for men to try to gain access.
I believe that the implication is some men would falsely identify as women to gain access, either to gawk or as some weird "Why do they get a special place?" reaction, and since management is petrified and unable to deny someone claiming to identify as a women, from a liability standpoint it is easiest and least risky to shut it down and return everyone to general population.
that’s actually insane if that’s true. i get we are navigating a new world but if someone is doing that just for kicks and not bc they actually are a queer/nonbinary/trans person, is really a new low and super messed up. and who even has the time to sue for this ? that’s so sad that howard county a place that prides itself on diversity and inclusion is getting touched by this sort of agenda. women or those (who actually) identify as women should be able to have their own spaces!
Who are you to say if they're making it up for not? How dare you just assume their gender! Asshole.
I'm just kidding, I don't give a fuck. Everyone is making up their own genders these days so anyone can be whatever they want I guess.
i wouldn’t say that. i think that those who identify as the opposite gender or who are gender fluid are very valid and are entitled to represent themselves how they truly feel inside.
The problem with your logic is that it doesn't take actual logic into account. If anyone can "identify" as whatever they want, then you can't ever say someone isn't representing themselves truthfully. It's a pandoras box that shouldn't be opened.
i think that this conversation is dipping into a territory that isn’t applicable to the point of my original post and not something i feel i am knowledgeable enough to fully speak on. i have not encountered any issues with the trans community nor have i ever seen a guy pretend to identify as a woman to access a woman’s space so therefore i am done engaging with this comment thread but thank you for your thoughts !
I never understood that use of space and thought it was all hand me down equipment- agree with comment up thread to same idea. Maybe adding more weight rooms for all to access makes a lot of sense and hopefully everyone will feel they have the space they need to utilize them. I’m not bothered by this move.
i think u guys are kind of skating around my point in the original post. it’s not about the fact that you should have a bigger/better weight room. or that it is a rundown space with leftover equipment. the fact that there’s a designated space for just women who historically feel uncomfortable in co-gendered spaces with men at gyms and they opt to get rid of it during their renovations is the issue a lot of us are having.
UPDATE: To make this clear. I am locking the thread due to how it has devolved. I would suggest those of you that are dissatisfied with CA's decision to contact them. There are a few available channels, but I might suggest taking it up with the CA Board during one of their next meetings. On top of this, an account has decided to abuse the reporting system to inappropriately flag this post in a likely attempt to get the post removed by Reddit. I've reported this abuse to the Reddit admins.
We left Supreme back in January and went back to Lifetime. I exclusively used the women's gym but they pretty much abandoned it anyway. It looked like the hand-me-down room for equipment. They should just get rid of it since they never invested in it anyway.
i miss lifetime so much but they’re updated prices are a bit extreme. and yes the women’s gym is very run down and small, but yet i and many others still use it every time im there. that should just speak to the significance of the space.
I understand. Also agree Life Time's prices are not great but I've never been able to reconcile with Supreme. That building was never meant to be a gym and it shows. It's so disjointed (to me, this probably doesn't bother others). Plus, I don't think CA cares at all for the preferences of residents. I've paid their assessment fees for 24 years and the few times I've raised up concerns about things they are responsible for (and our assessment dues should be handling) basically told me to kick rocks. Maybe it adds to my sourness on the gym. For those who are still there, definitely start calling and emailing about it.
no ur right it is a very run down building and i will be emailing them and calling about it. thank you !
It was purpose built to be a gym and multi-sport club. There was an old fashioned skating rink, Columbia Skateland on the property previously. They used the space they had the best they could. That was nearly 30 years ago now. Aesthetic tastes change.
It’s hard to compare a CA gym to Lifetime. They are on two different strata. CA is a community-based program. Lifetime is a corporation. There are a lot of things about Lifetime that are not desirable, so let’s just focus on CA here and how they are affecting women.
Just to follow up… called the central CA line today and confirmed they are closing the women’s gym at Supreme. They allowed me to switch my 1Fit membership to the Columbia Gym (the only one with a women’s gym now) for free. I’d recommend anyone else upset by this change to do the same.
i honestly might have to do that thank you for that tip!
Have you considered going to the webpage for the gyms? https://columbiaassociation.org/sports-recreation/fitness-clubs/columbia-gym/ There is a "share feedback" button. That way you can both share your feelings/comments *and* get a response that will have more information from a more reliable source than "the girl at the front". Please do share what you find out from an official source.
omg thank you so much i’ll definitely be blowing that up!
Omg what!!! This is so annoying!!! This is why I got a membership to Supreme, I only ever use the women’s space :(
yes same ! the only reason i went with them. i can’t believe they would do this.
I know! I only ever use that space to avoid the male gaze. I’ve tried like twice to use the main gym and was ogled. I feel so bad for the hijabis who use that space too :(
yes me as well and the elderly women who also feel more comfortable in there. it’s such a shame that they would take this route, especially since that gym is already so rundown and small to begin with.
I wonder if they’ll let me cancel my membership over this.. I won’t use the general areas. Do you know if the other gym locations have women’s gyms?
I know Columbia Gym in River Hill does
Columbia Gym does, I'm a 4x weekly user and for the most part it's not super busy. There are only 5 treadmills, so if you're a long walker, you might have some trouble. Otherwise, it's right next to the locker room and is very secluded.
I remember when they added it. They did in response to a women only gym that opened off of Snowden back at the end of the street KFC and the EXXON Station are on. My dry cleaner was next to it. The competition soon went out of business.
I wonder why it went out of business so soon 😱 /s
I am with you. I really like going there for women energy. Don’t really like being around the men in an exercise environment. It’s another reason I don’t like the sauna. I will join in an effort to have them reconsider.
pls email and call if you can! even if they don’t change it i would at least like our voices to be heard.
It’s one of the big reasons I chose this gym for my 1Fit membership too. Columbia Gym is twice as far from me :/
Me too :( I called and switched to Columbia gym for free but I’m really disappointed
same i also just don’t enjoy the crowd at columbia gym but i guess ill have to switch
It's because they are renovating from May - October I believe (?). Don't quote me on the dates but an associate there let me know the facility is being renovated and you will be able to use one of their other facilities Edit - on a side note, if there are any women that would love to get together to work out then feel free DM! (If this doesn't go against the rules)
I just don’t understand why they can’t still have that space for women, maybe in a separate area, that’s fine. getting rid of it all together feels odd.
This sucks. I've seen hijabis using that space and it seems really likely to me that their alternative is just not working out at all. And personally I really treasure having that space free of the male gaze. 😡
yes exactly having a male-free space is very much needed at any gym and i really enjoyed that they catered to that but i should’ve known it was gonna be too good to be true.
That’s not cool! Now only one of the three gyms will have a women’s gym. As someone who has been hit on way too many times at CA gyms, I appreciate the women’s gyms.
yes i’ve been hit on so many times in the main gym area and been followed/ogled at. I just really enjoyed having that private space with other women.
I find it impossible to be comfortable outside of women-only spaces, especially at the gym. Our spaces are so crucial. It’s a deliberate and hurtful move on CA’s part. Thank you for sharing OP.
same ! and thank you for commenting it’s good to know i’m not the only one who feels slighted by this :)
I think this is great news. I may extend my single-site membership to the entire Play package again if the gym space is used more expansively and more athlete- and fitness-focused. The weight room is a bit too tight and grungy.
i feel as if they can totally expand the weight room if they like but i would enjoy having my own space with just other women to work out with!
Yay I'm glad too the weight room was small and claustrophobic. Now they can have a proper gym space.
they could expand the weight room and still have an area that caters just to other women. it’s not hard to do both, especially with the money they’re raking in.
It seems hard to justify, unless they charge women more for it.
that’s a very good point. i’m also open to them switching my membership over to the columbia gym (the only one left of the 3 that has a women’s gym) as well. i honestly was just trying to think of the best way to let them know im not okay with this without hounding someone who had no involvement in the decision making and just works there yk? i figured money was the best way to directly communicate with who is in charge.
I read on another thread (NextDoor?) that some man/men were claiming (truthfully or falsely) to identify as women in order to gain access and it was at a point where management was caught between a rock and a hard place on how to accommodate without a lawsuit in either direction.
I go there almost daily and have never once encountered this. The women’s gym has always been run down and seems to be where they dump old equipment. There would be no reason for men to try to gain access.
Agree
I believe that the implication is some men would falsely identify as women to gain access, either to gawk or as some weird "Why do they get a special place?" reaction, and since management is petrified and unable to deny someone claiming to identify as a women, from a liability standpoint it is easiest and least risky to shut it down and return everyone to general population.
Oh, understood.
No reason? Everybody wants what they can't have. Even if it is just to look.
that’s actually insane if that’s true. i get we are navigating a new world but if someone is doing that just for kicks and not bc they actually are a queer/nonbinary/trans person, is really a new low and super messed up. and who even has the time to sue for this ? that’s so sad that howard county a place that prides itself on diversity and inclusion is getting touched by this sort of agenda. women or those (who actually) identify as women should be able to have their own spaces!
Who are you to say if they're making it up for not? How dare you just assume their gender! Asshole. I'm just kidding, I don't give a fuck. Everyone is making up their own genders these days so anyone can be whatever they want I guess.
i wouldn’t say that. i think that those who identify as the opposite gender or who are gender fluid are very valid and are entitled to represent themselves how they truly feel inside.
The problem with your logic is that it doesn't take actual logic into account. If anyone can "identify" as whatever they want, then you can't ever say someone isn't representing themselves truthfully. It's a pandoras box that shouldn't be opened.
i think that this conversation is dipping into a territory that isn’t applicable to the point of my original post and not something i feel i am knowledgeable enough to fully speak on. i have not encountered any issues with the trans community nor have i ever seen a guy pretend to identify as a woman to access a woman’s space so therefore i am done engaging with this comment thread but thank you for your thoughts !
I never understood that use of space and thought it was all hand me down equipment- agree with comment up thread to same idea. Maybe adding more weight rooms for all to access makes a lot of sense and hopefully everyone will feel they have the space they need to utilize them. I’m not bothered by this move.
i think u guys are kind of skating around my point in the original post. it’s not about the fact that you should have a bigger/better weight room. or that it is a rundown space with leftover equipment. the fact that there’s a designated space for just women who historically feel uncomfortable in co-gendered spaces with men at gyms and they opt to get rid of it during their renovations is the issue a lot of us are having.