Decolonizing Fitness Podcast

In this episode Candace and Ilya share their thoughts regarding Big Box Gyms and what makes them huge players in the toxic fitness arena. Ilya also speaks candidly about his very short lived & dreadful experience working for one of the world's largest "Big Box Gyms" (Planet Fitness). Ilya highlights the horrible treatment he received as an employee working for one of the largest organizations that promotes a "Judgement Free Zone". This is a great episode that can really help folks think outside of the box of what toxic fitness looks like from a class status perspective. While also highlighting the predatory nature of all big franchise fitness companies. **UPDATE**Planet Fitness CEO has been quietly funding antigay politicians, including Trump, for years.https://www.queerty.com/planet-fitness-ceo-quietly-funding-antigay-politicians-including-trump-years-20191001Please consider becoming a member of our Patreon to get the latest information about upcoming workshops & giveaways! By becoming a member for just $5 a month you'll also get access to extensive show notes jammed packed with great resources! Decolonizing Fitness doesn't currently have the support of sponsors so we desperately need your help in sustaining this podcast.Visit: https://www.patreon.com/DecolonizingFitnessYou can also check us out on Itunes & Spotify

Podcast Episode 4: The Attack on Nonconformity in Athletics Pt. 1 (The Rant)*Explicit Language*I’m very excited to get into this episode because I’ve always wanted to unpack human variance especially how it shows up in relation to gender identity/expression. Visible differences in the human expression often cause people to be othered, discriminated against, pathologized, brutalized etc. Right now we are seeing the attack on human variance & non conformity in the world of women’s sports which is racist, sexist, transphobic and an overall gross violation of human rights. In particular this episode will highlight the stories of Caster Semenya & JayCee Cooper. Both Caster & JayCee have been thrusted into the spotlight and are helping to undo so dreadful policies that limit certain bodies (in particular trans and gender non conforming folks) from competing as their true selves in women’s sports. **Update** As of June 3, 2019 the Swiss Court temporarily suspends new IAAF rules per Caster Semenya's legal team. Therefore, Caster will not need to take testosterone-reducing medication to compete.Caster Semenya: is a South African Olympic track runner and two time gold medalist in the 800 meter. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a regulation that will require some female track athletes with naturally-elevated testosterone levels to lower those levels with drugs or surgery, if they want to compete in certain women's events on the international stage. JayCee Cooper: is a USA Powerlifter who was banned from competing in the Olympic Women’s Division because she identifies as a trans woman.Some additional subjects discussed in this Episode: **racism, gender essentialism and trans hatred in sports****Why are we targeting folks in sports who are already so deeply targeted in other areas of society?**Mack Beggs trans man wrestler high school student (forced to wrestle against women) was already medically transitioning. Texas sanctions women’s wrestling. 2016 Texas Policy determining gender based on birth certificates for sports in colleges.https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/25/transgender-wrestler-mack-beggs-wins-texas-girls-title**Andraya Yearwood trans femme youth athlete track Connecticut. https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/feb/24/terry-miller-andraya-yearwood-transgender-sprinter/**Othering of trans women (trans women are women PERIOD!)There is no evidence to suggest that that trans are stealing anything. If you are good at the sport it is your athleticism which has nothing to do with the other athlete of their identity. **Why the mere existence of transwomen creates so much fear in society.**The conflation of body parts and gender**Sexist notion: that anyone assigned male at birth will automatically beat anyone assigned female at birth. **This informs how we discuss trans athletes, intersex athletes and women in general.**Testosterone not the “male sex hormone,” nor is it the key to athletic performance.**There is no such thing as *looking* transgender. **High profile female athletes (like Martina Navratilova) weaponize that notion and if gives more credence to the notion in the first place. It’s a false criticism of women’s sports in general. ***Notion of this influx of cis men posing as transwomen to gain unfair advantages in competitions. Also carries similar narratives to this fear of cis men posing as trans women taking over bathroom spaces. “In the US, there’s not a single reported instance of this kind of voyeurism occurring in states with legal protections for trans people.”https://www.vox.com/identities/2016/5/13/17938102/transgender-people-bathrooms-locker-rooms-schools

**Explicit Language**On this episode Candace and I unpack toxic fitness culture through a social justice lens. We name that fitness like many other oppressive systems is rooted in ableism and the belief that there are "good' and "bad" bodies (with the bad bodies needing to be cured or corrected and the onus being placed on the individual to do these things). Please remember your body is never wrong in the way it shows up. We discuss all the ways that toxic fitness is projected onto us under the guise of "health", "wellness" and "being fit". We talk about how mainstream fitness further stigmatizes fat folks and deems them unhealthy through medical myths and pseudo science. We break down the need to reclaim the word "fat" and put to rest the words "overweight" and "obesity" as both words pathologize fat which is a naturally occurring substance in the body and not inherently unhealthy. We talk about the faulty BMI being overused as a measurement of health...and so much more!You can find the show notes here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/df-podcast-3-26488578

CONTENT WARNING: mentions of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Kink & BDSMIn this episode Candace & I unpacked how Kink and BDSM can be used as vehicles of pleasure for folks to reconnect with their bodies through fitness.Candace Liger is the founder of Felyne Fitness and Felyne Fetish, championing creative wellness practices, body activism, and PROACTIVE self care. With over 8 years experience as a NASM health and wellness practicioner. She is the creator of JahRation Nation Dance Fitness - a high- energy, DANCEHALL & AFROBEAT based class.Recognizing the need for communities to address holistic healing as a liberatory practice, her programming emphasizes accessing the erotic by uplifting consent beyond the binary. She is creator of Felyne Fetish aka. AfroDGak, an offering encouraging body autonomy, radical consent, kink education, and erotic consciousness within safe, artistically-inclined spaces. Acquiring 10 years of experience working in the erotic space, she has hosted Kink , BDSM, and Erotic events throughout the US, and was recently featured on the Triad City Beat for her unique Felyne Fetish Fitness classes blending BDSM and Fitness. In 2014, she ranked 8th in the nation through the Women of the World Poetry Competition and has performed in Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Washington D.C, and more. Additionally, she has used her dynamic voice as an active community leader extensively involved in initiatives including advocacy against sexual assault & domestic violence, education, and cultural art programs and performances. Through her activism work and community involvement, she has been awarded the 2017 Social Justice Award from the YWCA of Oklahoma, the Woman of Action Award from the National Organization of Women, and the 2017 ACLU Angie Debo Civil Libertarian award.www.CandaceLiger.comwww.FelyneFetish.comEmail: [email protected]: Candace Liger #FelyneFetishInstagram: @CandaceLiger & @CoachFelyneRate Us on Itunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decolonizing-fitness/id1458360965