The Surprising Link Between Fitness and Racism
Hint: it runs deeper than you think.
Many of us are just starting to uncover the devastating effects of racism and colonialism on society. Police violence is raging, and recent events have laid bare the fact that these experiences affect our daily lives in a myriad of ways. Whether it’s by dictating the way we should act, dress, or speak — racism often leaves our bodies traumatized.
But racism also has insidious consequences on another aspect of our lives that you may not have thought of — exercise.
While moving our body is essential to our health, the definition of “fitness” has changed significantly over time. Nowadays, when talking about fitness, we’re most likely thinking about how it relates to our physical appearance rather than our overall health. Society has fallen into the trap of equating fitness with thinness — and, more recently, with muscle mass, curves, and even small waists with a large derrière. Many have already explored this issue far better than I ever could: Christy Harrison and her podcast Food Psych, Caroline Dooner and actor and social justice activist Matt McGorry are just a few of the incredible people who work tirelessly to shed light on the fatphobia, racism and diet culture that all underpin mainstream fitness culture.
