Decolonizing Fitness — Healing

The first magical skill I learned was how to change a flat tire on a bicycle. I was twenty years-old and had recently obtained my first queer haircut. Loitering on the lawn of the college bike collective, I watched as groups of two to three intimidating-looking dykes hovered around upside down bicycles holding wrenches and greasy rags. I was desperate to pick up some mechanical skills to bolster my baby butch ego, but the shame of not even knowing where to start forced me to keep on walking. I spent the following summer learning bike mechanics from a local nonprofit...

When I’m upset, energy rises inside me. I clench my fists.  I feel rage. I used to head to the gym and run until I couldn’t or lifted heavy weights until my arms shook. I thought this was healthier than throwing things, drinking, or other self-destructive behaviors but, sometimes, I did those things too. Dealing with unpleasant feelings for masculine folks is a complicated process and unfortunately, emotional processing skills in masc communities aren’t often talked about.   However, Ilya’s “Fitness Can Be Used As A Healing Modality” post has really saved me. The post taught me to understand fitness...

I firmly believe fitness can be reclaimed and utilized as a healing tool to help our most marginalized folks reconnect with their bodies in ways that feel supportive and liberating to them. Fitness can be affirming and accessible to all bodies.As a black, queer, non binary trans masculine person I am reminded of the ways this world seeks to pathologize and remove me from my body daily. I also, honor that the current fitness industry has caused many trans and queer folks so much grief due to gender based violence, homophobia and inaccessibility to affirming and inclusive services. We are...

I’d like to honor that the word “Fitness” evokes lots of harsh feelings for those of us who don’t embody normative beauty standards. I’d also like to name that marginalized folks (trans, gender non conforming and non binary in this context) are often disconnected from our bodies. However, I believe body-movement can actually be used as a healing component. We deserve to engage in practices and take up spaces that allow us to reconnect with ourselves in ways that feel supportive, not coercive.