Gender Stereotypes Are A Weighty Subject

(I am female and I’m at the gym. I go year-round, but this time it’s mid-January, when it is full of people! I am looking for a bar to do some workouts. They come in 20 kg and 15 kg, and you can add weight to them if you need to. I can’t find any on the rack, but spot a 15 kg one unattended. Not wanting to rob it from someone mid-session, I look around as a man walks towards me.)

Me: *gesturing* “Are you using this?”

Man: “Yeah, I am.”

(I go to walk away and he calls me back.)

Man: “I’ll happily swap with you if you find a man’s one.”

Me: *thinking I’ve misheard* “Huh?”

Man: “This is a girl’s one. If you find a man’s one, I will swap with you.”

(I was gobsmacked that he a) thought that weights should be gendered, and b) would say it so openly to my face. And for the record, I use a 20 kg one, adding weights if I need it. And there are some bloody strong women in my gym.)