Men "borrowing" free time from women is driving the gender exercise gap

September 26, 2024 7:41 PM

Men "borrowing" free time from women is driving the gender exercise gap. As family demands increase, women's physical activity becomes more limited, but the same doesn't happen for men.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (4 comments total)

I think that is much more multifaceted.

One thing they put in the article was “mom guilt.” I think that just scratches the surface on why both parents act in the ways they do. The priorities and drives of people, hugely influenced by social / learned behavior, perceived pressure, what it’s like to engage in fitness, all pushes these differences.

Also the fact the outdoor recreation can often feel and be less safe for women I’m sure doesn’t help. Outdoor running, biking, etc solo is wonderful on lonely roads and paths, but I do notice that more women stick to busier roads. I’ve never read a study, but I bet that is driven by desire for safety and feeling safe.

I think that gyms also can be no fun as a woman (I certainly don’t like them as a man either. The Pilates studio I go to which is a woman centric space that has always felt welcoming even if they don’t stock any clothes for me in the store corner.)

Article seems to be about parents of younger kids and mine are 17 and 19 at this point.
posted by creiszhanson at 8:09 PM on September 26

I think that is much more multifaceted.
You're literally reiterating the other bullet points in the list you quoted from, so clearly the authors are aware of your other concerns. Do you have evidence that the one they cite as the main driver is not, in fact, the main driver?
posted by agentofselection at 8:24 PM on September 26 [4 favorites]

absolutely believable to me. my wife and i have a toddler. she has a lot of health problems (many the result of her pregnancy - go figure) so im the primary earner and take on more than half of childcare duties.

i used to run 25-30 miles a week like it was nothing. now i get in maybe 5-10 a month.

it sucks. it takes a lot of love and rational thinking to avoid feelings of bitterness and loneliness. i can only imagine what its like when your circumstances are due more to social convention than medical reality.
posted by AlbertCalavicci at 9:48 PM on September 26 [1 favorite]

Oh cool, it's my family and every single other family with kids I know! Except for the ones where the moms literally teach some sort of exercise as part of their paid job. Only way a lot of women figure out how to get out of the house to get to yoga is if they're getting paid to be there.
posted by potrzebie at 11:18 PM on September 26