Since 2011, UO’s Student Rec Center has offered female-identifying hours. Expansions have followed in recent years due to significant student interest and a movement to include transgender and non-binary communities in the time slot.

Currently, Women’s/T+B hours take place in the Fitness Block of the Rec’s gym, the northernmost section of the building, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday — an expansion from what was originally a one-hour opportunity in a smaller portion of the gym prior to Rec Center renovations in 2015. Another expansion happened earlier this year, with trans and non-binary students being accepted into these hours as well.

“[The hours] have evolved over time,” Associate Director of Facilities Cody Weaver said. “A lot of that has been based on facility changes, the department’s assessments and user feedback.”

The Fitness Block takes up approximately 7,000 square feet, while the entirety of the alternative gym spaces take up approximately 14,000 square feet. Additionally, the exercise equipment located in the Fitness Block is fundamentally the same as that of the alternative spaces. “We’re intentional about that,” Weaver said. “So while providing this opportunity for our female-identifying students, we’re not taking opportunities away from our other patrons.”

Part of the way Rec staff gauges the utilization of this space is through hourly headcounts. The amount of students working out in the Fitness Block during Women’s/T+B hours tends to be around a fifth to a third of the entire Rec population at that time.

“I think [the hours are] extremely beneficial and they’re really utilized by people that need that space,” Rec Center employee Camille Beaudoin said. “Some people do feel comfortable lifting in the open spaces, but I think they’re really important hours to maintain.”

According to shared sentiments by students who use these hours to work out, the major reason why the hours are beneficial is the anxiety felt by many female, trans and non-binary students in the male-dominated portions of the gym.

“From my experience, the gym can be an extremely intimidating place where women, trans [and] non-binary folks seem held to a higher standard,” Beaudoin said. “We’re constantly mocked and joked about for what weights we can and can’t lift versus our male counterparts. I know some of my friends have also felt that way, especially in a male-dominated space.”

Junior Phoebe Borkus goes to the Rec Center gym two to three times a week and has attended the Women’s/T+B hours several times in the past, but is unable to this term due to her class schedule. One of the main reasons Borkus misses being able to attend these hours is based on anxiety felt in the main portions of the gym.She occasionally experiences anxiety in spaces with upper body equipment that are oftentimes occupied by a male majority. “Oftentimes, it kind of feels like you’re out of your element or in a place you don’t belong,” Borkus said.

The benefit that both students and staff see in these hours is that they create a space where students feel more free to try workouts they would potentially feel uncomfortable doing in a different setting.

“When they start going to the gym, a lot of people can’t have professional help so a lot of us start lifting on our own and learning correct technique,” Beaudoin said. “With the gym being such an intimidating place, these hours can give space for people to do their workout regardless of judgment.”

Another reason why Women’s/T+B hours have been expanded over the years is because they can provide greater access for these communities to achieve the health benefits associated with strength training that they may not achieve otherwise. This can include improved bone density, stronger joints, increased lean body mass and enhanced self-confidence.

Earlier this year, members from PE & Rec’s Inclusion Change Team met with administrators from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Education and Support Services to discuss expanding Women’s Training Hours to include the transgender and non-binary communities. “We discussed as a leadership team and felt that this was the right direction to move,” Weaver said.

However, another shift that some students would like to see is a second-time option for these hours in order to accommodate class schedules. “Maybe have two different slots at two different times of the day,” Borkus said. “It doesn’t have to be longer than it is now, but just more flexible with people’s schedules.”
Several students also think that an increase in advertising of the Women’s/T+B hours could encourage more people to utilize the space. “I’ve never heard about it,” UO freshman Sakura Waseline said.“It should be more advertised because there’s a lot of people that would benefit from that.”

As for the enforcement of the hours, a sign is placed outside of the Fitness Block stating the time for women’s hours and employees place a whiteboard outside of the door as well to make the hours more clear.

“Obviously we don’t want to assume anyone’s identity so we try to be open towards that, but we try to use signage to try to enforce it,” Beaudoin said. “It’s honestly really well respected for the most part, people just know that these hours are pretty consistent.”

Though signage tends to be respected, male-identifying students occasionally enter the area or voice questions about the hours. “I’ve personally been in there when men have come in,” Borkus said. “But no one went up to them and said anything.”

Rec employees suspect these instances are mainly due to UO’s active campus and the popularity of Rec facilities. “During some of our busier times, we have a lot of folks in the building,” Weaver said. “Folks that are not female-identifying may wander over to that space and wonder why they can’t use it. Questions do come up from time to time, and we address those concerns on a case-by-case basis.”

At this point in time, there are no plans for additional shifts or adjustments to the current Women’s/T+B hours, but Rec staff will “try to keep our finger on the pulse of how space is being used, but also connect with our patrons to see what their needs are,” Weaver said.