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The original was posted on /r/twoxchromosomes by /u/StopSayingChaiTea on 2023-08-23 19:01:26.

I work out at our local gym about 4 days a week, and while I try to avoid the busiest time (between 4-8 PM), sometimes I just have to make do and get my workout done during those hours.

Here are some differences I’ve noticed between how men and women treat this shared space. I apologize for the generalizing, but I’m calling it as I’ve seen it.

  1. Men aren’t afraid to take up space. They walk around without checking around them and right in front of people’s sight lines or in their path. Women apologize if they’re even remotely in your way and move over.
  2. Quite a few times, a man has stood right next to my bench while I’m doing dumbbell chest presses to do some vanity exercise. I always say EXCUSE ME really loudly or aggressively drop a dumbbell close to them. I stare at them until they give me the stink eye and get out of my personal space.
  3. Women wipe down benches and equipment before and after use. I’ve had a man hurry over and try to start using the lat pull machine while I was wiping it down before using it. I told him I was going to be using it for the next 10 minutes and put my headphones back on. He then tried to do that again at two other machines. I’ve never had this issue with any woman at the gym. They ask when you will be done and only come back once you’re definitely done using something.
  4. Hogging machines/equipment while chatting/shooting the shit/flirting: I don’t think I need to add anything new about this. It’s infuriating. I asked a girl who was chatting with her friends if I could use the rowing machine for a quick set, and she happily let me work in. Had a big dude tell me “It’s taken” while he was flirting with a woman and had left his stuff on three machines. Ugh.
  5. Leaving weights stacked on barbells, benches and the floor: more women pick up after themselves than men, unfortunately. I’ve also seen gym bros put back weights on the rack in random places and then nobody can find what they want.