Guest at all-female gym allegedly called out for ‘distracting’ outfit: ‘Why am I being shamed?’
A California-based creator claimed on TikTok that she was “dress-coded” at the all-female fitness center she belonged to.
Kerry Rose Schwartz, 37, alleged that the owner of the gym told her the leggings she was wearing made the other patrons “uncomfortable.” Schwartz was particularly upset about the comment because, as she explained at the beginning of her TikTok, she had spent a lot of time researching gyms after dealing with years of body dysmorphia.
“I’ve struggled with body dysmorphia and feeling uncomfortable in gyms my entire life,” she said. “When I found a gym that I felt comfortable in and really enjoyed, it changed my life.”
Schwartz added that the dress code incident with the leggings happened at a previous gym she went to, not her current one. She did not name either gym but described the previous gym as being a privately owned fitness center exclusive to women.
“The owner comes up to me and they say, ‘Hey, listen, we gotta have a quick chat,'” Schwartz continued. “I could sense something was wrong because the conversation got uncomfortable really quickly.”
The owner allegedly brought up Schwartz’s outfit, which Schwartz described as leggings and a sports bra — something she wore every day at the gym.
“This day in particular I was wearing these yellow leggings,” she said. “[The owner] continued to say, ‘Sorry, we have to have this conversation, but apparently you’re making a few women feel uncomfortable with the leggings that you wear.'”
Schwartz said she initially felt confused, and as the conversation went on, she started to feel embarrassed.
“I almost felt shamed, even though I shouldn’t,” she recalled. “I wasn’t wearing anything that was inappropriate.”
The owner allegedly told Schwartz that “more than one” other gym-goer came up to them and described Schwartz’s outfit as “distracting” and “offensive.” Schwartz added that she owned the “distracting” leggings in more than one color, and, while aware her “assets do stand out more,” she didn’t think there was anything wrong with them. Schwartz included a photo of the leggings in her TikTok.
“Why am I being shamed by this,” she asked, “especially for a women’s gym?”
Commenters sided with Schwartz, with some even asking for the brand name of the leggings. One gym owner chimed in and said, “Nothing wrong with what you’re wearing.”
Schwartz’s story is, unfortunately, part of many stories women have shared on TikTok in which they have felt “shamed” for their outfits. One content creator went viral recently after ranting on her TikTok about being told she couldn’t get a drink at a beachside bar unless she “covered up.” She was wearing a bikini top, crocheted pants and flip-flops, after coming back from a hike.
In The Know by Yahoo is now available on Apple News — follow us here!
The post Guest at all-female gym allegedly called out for ‘distracting’ outfit: ‘Why am I being shamed?’ appeared first on In The Know.
More from In The Know:
The 15 best tech sales to shop this week — up to 90% off at HP, JBL, Samsung and more
Trending Theo Von sound helps TikTokers admit their mistakes: ‘I love to gaslight’
If you have an air fryer, you need these disposable liners that are 63% off on Amazon
