Why are folks drawn to extremes and what can we do to make bodybuilding, an extreme sport, a little healthier? I explore these ideas, and what I suspect are some of the gender differences that add nuance to the conversation, in this post about the folks at 3DMJ discussing the viability of natural bodybuilding. IContinue reading “#TBT: “Is there a place for me?” 3DMJ Podcast #195: Is Natural Bodybuilding Viable?”
Tag Archives: Women
The Gender Binary, Patriarchy, and How Bodybuilding Gives me a Place to Express my Authentic Self
I have never been the girl my mother hoped I would be. From a very young age, she has given me unwanted gifts like full length, pink nighties with puff sleeves and lace, dolls to play house with, and birthday cards with sparkles and butterflies. (I still get the birthday cards with sparkles and butterflies.)Continue reading “The Gender Binary, Patriarchy, and How Bodybuilding Gives me a Place to Express my Authentic Self”
#TBT: “A size 2 White lady with a ponytail and a leather jacket,” Hysteria podcast, Oct. 21, 2021
This week’s throwback Thursday post is a conversation with the ladies of Hysteria about the term “badass,” and the gendered implications of the term. I really valued the variety of opinions and ideas shared in this episode. Do you find the term badass to be celebrating masculine traits in women? If you do, do youContinue reading “#TBT: “A size 2 White lady with a ponytail and a leather jacket,” Hysteria podcast, Oct. 21, 2021″
Doin’ My Part to Keep the Gym a Safe Space for Men
I wrote this post several years ago, when I lifted in a small community center gym. With COVID restrictions reducing and lots of folks entering gyms for the first time in a while, I thought it might be a good time to revisit these themes–and to think about how we might counter the problems IContinue reading “Doin’ My Part to Keep the Gym a Safe Space for Men”
Sexism in Lifting: What is the right balance between sticking my neck out and doing my own thing?
How do we know if we’re making progress when it can go so slowly, it feels like standing still? How do we keep doing the work, plugging away at the pieces, running the experiments, when we don’t even know what the endpoint will look like? Is there a revelation, a revolution, a moment when everythingContinue reading “Sexism in Lifting: What is the right balance between sticking my neck out and doing my own thing?”
Mindset Tips For the Woman Who Wants to Start Lifting
Yay! Welcome! I love you! I’m so happy you are getting ready to take that step! Strength training can be a truly transformative and empowering experience. It also may have a steeper learning curve than getting into cardio as many of us have little to no experience with it before we decide to make itContinue reading “Mindset Tips For the Woman Who Wants to Start Lifting”
“Science is political,” The Food Medic podcast, S4 EP7 (part 1): INFERIOR: How Science Got Women Wrong
The Food Medic, Dr. Hazel Wallace’s podcast, is a new one to me, and I’ve been digging into the archives to learn more and give it a try. The conversation I want to highlight today is with journalist Angela Saini, who got interested in the history of sexism in science whilst researching menopause. Apparently, thereContinue reading ““Science is political,” The Food Medic podcast, S4 EP7 (part 1): INFERIOR: How Science Got Women Wrong”
Cutting my hair and loving my strong legs
This morning is the first time in over two decades that I’ve woken up with really, properly short hair. I’ve been playing around the edges of a shorter ‘do for a handful of years now, but last night, I committed to going pixie. Or a kinda long, shaggy, pixie. I feel a little like aContinue reading “Cutting my hair and loving my strong legs”
Welcome to Progressive Strength! An “Intraview”
An interview is someone asking questions of someone else, so I’m gonna call this an intraview–me asking questions of myself, as a means to introduce myself to you, my fabulous reader! Progressive Strength (PG): Let’s start with the basics. Who are you and why did you start writing this blog? Me: My name is Marjorie,Continue reading “Welcome to Progressive Strength! An “Intraview””
“People are there for selfish reasons; they don’t owe you anything,” Why People are Intimidated by the Gym, Alan Thrall
In case you haven’t seen this video yet, I wanted to be sure to draw your attention to it. What are the reasons folks are intimidated about going to the gym? According to Alan’s own polling, it boils down to this: they expect other people at the gym to be assholes. They expect folks toContinue reading ““People are there for selfish reasons; they don’t owe you anything,” Why People are Intimidated by the Gym, Alan Thrall”
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