Some Women Don't Want Men In Their Pilates Class, And That's Okay
Recently, The Cut wrote about the tension between men and women in boutique fitness spaces like Solidcore. But is it really that bad if women don’t want men in their Pilates classes?
For those who don’t know, Solidcore focuses on Pilates-inspired workouts that are typically low-impact yet high-intensity. Women have long favored these types of exercises, and their popularity has only increased thanks to TikTok girlies filming themselves in ALO gear attending Pilates classes at 9 a.m., and I love this for them.
Victoria’s Secret angels have also favored the low-impact, high-intensity days at the gym. However, in recent years, Pilates has become “for the girls,” to the point that men get side-eyed by female attendees when they join in on the Solidcore classes.
Per The Cut, one man shared on Reddit, “I am a guy who has been attending Solidcore classes since last year,” but ever since the classes blew up on TikTok, “the worst types of people have been coming.” According to him, these people glare at men for simply existing, mock modifications, and worst of all, make TikToks about how much they hate men being there. He even suspected that a woman who visibly sighed and moved away from him in class was the creator of one such TikTok.
The writer also highlighted a time when a guy from a different Solidcore location allegedly saw himself in one of these TikToks. “Oh hey, that’s me, at least I’m 99 percent sure that’s me … are you sure that’s UES?” he commented. “It’s pretty creepy to know someone was taking a photo of me, but at least they had the decency to put an emoji over my face.”
Commenters weren’t having it. “A man can not even exist and live his life apparently,” one person wrote. Others pointed out that if women wanted private, all-female spaces, they should seek out female-only classes instead of policing co-ed ones. One even suggested reporting the TikToker to Solidcore HQ for “trying to build a hostile, bullying environment.”
In defense of the guys, yes – Pilates was literally invented by a man, Joseph Pilates. Pilates is for everyone. However, I can’t really fault women for wanting women-only workout spaces. Not because men inherently ruin everything (relax), but because it feels… more comfortable. It feels nice knowing you can wear tight workout clothes without wondering if a man is watching you. I’ve had strange men follow me at the gym and take photos of me. I’ve never seen a woman do that.
Also, it feels good to be surrounded by women because they understand the struggles and joys of having two X Chromosomes. I want to be with them for comfort and safety. That being said, I think the women who make fun of men or bully them for attending are cruel. I do believe that some guys are now hesitant to attend Pilates classes out of fear of being ridiculed, which is equivalent to overweight women being scared to go to the gym for the first time. The TikTok girls have created a judgment zone, and that’s sad.
The Decline of Women-Only Spaces
No, I’m not saying that Solidcore needs to ban men, but I do think there should be more women-only options for those who want them. Women-only gyms, locker rooms, and even bathrooms in some liberal cities have been disappearing, largely due to the push for “inclusive” spaces. This idea that we need to welcome everyone into our safe space has led to some disastrous outcomes, including cases of sexual assault in spaces that were once designated for women.
If women are side-eyeing men in their boutique fitness classes, it’s probably not because they “hate men.” It’s because they’re craving a space that feels safe and comfortable. The solution, then, would be more women-only classes. So let the Pilates Princesses have their moment.