Typology of gender resistance and defiance in Israeli gyms

Abstract

The article focuses on gender power relations at the gym. It is based on fieldwork in three gyms in Israel. The analysis suggests a typology of responses in relation to gender dictates and male dominance in Israeli gyms: (1) resistance by withdrawal was found mostly in women who gave up attending it and turned to look for alternatives to physical training elsewhere; (2) latent resistance was also found mainly in women, who expressed their resentment towards the ‘macho’ environment in the gym; (3) breaking gender dictates by both sexes, daring to participate in activities and using equipment that are ‘not for them’; and (4) confronting gender dictates openly, questioning the separation between types of activity that are ‘allowed’ according to gender. The analysis also discusses the differences in gender conduct between the gyms, two in the Israeli metropolis of Tel Aviv and one in the countryside.

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