Got repetitively called a lesbian today, a joke that went too far, when someone saw what my screen saver was on my phone. So naturally, I asked him what was on his phone. They had a picture of some Korean actress wearing no more clothing that the female athlete in my screen saver. I don't get it. It's not ok for me to put a picture of a fitspiration female on my phone -- the phone belonging to a pro athlete, boxing club coach and avid lover of fitness and fitness -- but it's ok for him to put a picture of a woman he thinks is sexy but whom is clearly not his girlfriend. Ya, if I'm a lesbian than he's a cheater.
"I'd punch you but I don't punch for free -- professional boxer baby." I joked.
"That girl is NOT beautiful. Girls are meant to be skinny", he told me.
"Girls are meant to be skinny? This coming from a man who finds women who still wear pink hair barrettes like a 12 year old and who act clueless attractive. If girls are meant to be skinny then were does stupid play in?!" And thus opened a whole new can of worms, and what a stinky, stinky conversation it was.
This was actually a conversation continuation that initially started yesterday, when I very bluntly told this specific visitor to stop talking to my club members after he said it was ok for men to smoke because "we are men". "We are men", that's how he justified it ok for a member to suck in numerous chemicals after busting his butt at training, smart. "That's right, because only women get lung cancer!" I added. "Second hand smoke is actually proven to be more toxic than actual smoking. So yes, you men may not get lung cancer but you know that cute little girlfriend, well, kiss her lungs goodbye and she's got you to thank for that!"
I'm all for personal choices, heck I never made any comment about the ridiculous hair cut he choose to get, but when you come into my club and try to
that's when I have a problem. A few months back we discovered that one of our younger members smoked and Snickers confronted the store owner that had been selling to this minor. We were both ticked. Some of our regular guys -- a group of three young men that always train together -- are smokers too and I've been really trying to get one of them to quit. He's such an amazing boxer and he loves his sports but as great as he is at them I vouch that he could be all that better if he wasn't always winded because of being a smoker. He has really been struggling with his attempts at quitting so handing him a cigarette and asking him to come outside to join you for a smoke, as was the case yesterday, does not help him.
I'm very passionate about what I do because I believe that it's just as much helping others as it is challenging and changing people. I'm not this stuck up [enter not nice word here] who thinks she's all mighty and all knowing, clearly not. I am by no means close to perfect but I surely do try my hardest at what I do and nobody can say I don't. I'm out there busting my butt on a Saturday night with my long runs when it's really the only night off in the week that I have to spend with my husband. I spend my day off cooking all my meals for work and I wake up early to do my running, in addition to doing my boxing. It's hard but I do it. And it's not that I love it, hell I may be a good runner but it's hard, instead it's because I love myself enough to want to make myself healthier and happier. I want to better myself and live by example.
I know health and fitness is not a passion or priority for many and that's perfectly fine, I respect that, but I know it is for a lot of our members. I'm just trying the hardest I know how to create a positive, healthy environment at Hulk's. One that is not full of the stress, temptations and discouragement that members face outside. So when a visitor comes into the very place and so carelessly tries to break down the very foundation I've been busting my butt off to build up, you better believe I'm going to get defensive. How would you like it if someone took something that you loved and tried to smash it into a billion trillion pieces? Exactly, you wouldn't be happy.
We all make our own choices in life so accept that and respect that. I've never said anything mean to this specific person prior to this week about their smoking, beyond asking them once if they ever wanted to quit. And I dropped the issue with the other guys when they said they liked it. But one said he wanted to quit so heck ya I was going to help him out and do my best to encourage him. And part of encouraging him, or so I felt, was discouraging others from offering him a smoke.
As for "girls are meant to be skinny", that's just nonsense and I don't plan on ever being skinny. My legs may not be thin but they can carry me through a half marathon and this year I'll test them with a full. My arms may not be thin either, but then again thin, muscle-less arms won't get me through an eight round fight. And my bum may be considered big by Korean norms but go ahead and kick it, then tell me how your foot feels. I'm a lover of squats and this butt was squat-made. So you can keep your skinny legs, skinny arms and no-bum butt, I've got no use for them besides being thankful I don't have them. Strong IS beautiful.
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