Fitness v fatness? Bodies, boundaries and bias in the gym

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study introduces the possibility of a new concept, ‘figuring’, to describe the contentious reactions and readings of non-conforming larger bodies and the spaces in which these occur. I illustrate this concept through an analysis of 15 semi-structured virtual interviews and participant journaling to uniquely explore the lived experiences of larger-bodied people in the gym. The key analytic construct ‘figuring’ put forward in this paper helps to theoretically advance work on body size and exercise by offering a way to conceptualise the role of environment (e.g. exercise contexts) in shaping boundaries of bodily difference. My findings articulate how physical activity spaces are implicated in ‘figuring’ space and are presented in three main themes; (1) the pursuit of the ‘ideal’, (2) presence: hyper-visibility and ‘belonging’ in space, and (3) mobilities: Intersections of gender and body size. This study expands our empirical understanding of people’s exercise experiences in gym environments by rendering visible the socio-spatial processes that create boundaries around participation in the gym along the lines of body size. My findings point to the need to intervene in the social and spatial dimensions of the gym, and potentially other exercise environments, to promote equity in access to physical activity.