Yes, I am one of those people who started going to the gym in the new year, but I can say I have been able to incorporate it into my daily routines. One thing I have noticed at my gym though is the number of males who just sit there and gawk at females working out. It has even happened to me more than once.

I was at the gym doing my thing, headphones in, not paying attention to anyone or anything; the only thing I was focused on was my workout. I was doing walking lunges, minding my own business. I remember I was blasting some Eminem through my headphones and when, all of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a guy waving me down. He was standing about three feet away from me, and he came up to me and said, "Nice work and form, keep it up." I nodded and said thank you and continued my workout per usual. Then I noticed the same guy went and sat on a bike near where I was working out. I noticed he was watching me the whole time as I did my lunges. This is when I started to feel uncomfortable and wanted to end the workout. As I finished up my sets, I still noticed he was staring at me.

I then continued to my other workouts and blocked that moment out of my head. I finished my whole workout and as I was putting the barbells away, I saw the same guy sitting between the wall and where I need to go. Naturally, I turned up my headphones and tried to walk past him. He then tried to get my attention by waving me down and trying to walk towards me, but I walked faster to the locker room and avoided him on the way out.

This instance is why I had started thinking that this is something that happens all the time at the gym. Some days that I go, I notice it doesn't happen and other days, I see it all over the gym.

I know some females already have a hard time going into the gym because they feel insecure and judged by other people. I know I see other females and think I am not good enough to be at the gym. A couple days ago, I was doing an arm workout and there was a girl working out at the machine across from me. I looked around and saw two older men behind her staring at her. I felt uncomfortable and I wasn't even the one being stared at.

Not only do I feel intimidated in situations like this, but I feel more vulnerable. I believe the gym should be a place where a female should feel empowered and motivated to better themselves. I believe that some men should not feel that they have power over women and make them feel uncomfortable. A woman's workout space should not be or feel invaded when they are there to become better versions of themselves.