Looking Up From The Bench

This week at the gym I was hanging out with some people from my class. Someone complimented my nails. Side note, about a year ago I got my nails done for a wedding, and just loved it and the way it made me feel! Since then I’ve been kind of hooked, and just really enjoy getting to pick new colors and designs every few weeks. Anyway, I responded to them by saying, “thanks, it’s the only feminine thing I do.” And my friend Rachel said “weightlifting is feminine.” And that got me thinking about something. So much of how we view ourselves and the world is based on societal constructs regarding what is considered good, appropriate, valid, etc. If I lived in a culture where females dominated strength sports, would I still feel that my passion and hobbies aren’t “feminine.” Would I still feel the need to explain how getting my nails done makes me feel more “girly," as if qualifying the fact that I love all things related to the gym and generally don’t feel I have the same style as a...