Who are the change makers?

Gymshark want to make some change

Gymshark, the fitness apparel and accessories brand has launched the “We, the Changemakers” campaign to combat gender bias in the fitness industry, based on the belief that all women belong in every corner of the fitness industry. Every woman should be able to participate in the sport she enjoys without having to be afraid to try it because of mental or physical limitations. But there is still a lot of work to be done to fully realize this in real life, which is why gymshark has launched the Changemaker Fund – a project that aims to support women in local communities Gymshark will award $10,000 in grants to three women-owned businesses, non-profit organizations, charities, or individuals as part of this campaign to help support and expand their initiatives.

These include :

First one is Gym Safe Ladies. It is a UK-based group of men and women working to raise awareness of sexual harassment in fitness and gym environments and to create safe spaces for all.

Secondly, Precious Adams, a ballet dancer, has been a strong supporter of diversity. She has successfully pushed for change in dance to make the classical arts more inclusive of black people and people of colour, thanks to the support of her current ballet school.

Finally, Yellow Jacket Roller Derby (YJRD) is a group of women, men and non-binary genders with diverse identities and interests, united by their love of roller derby. Roller skating is an intense contact sport with a healthy dose of aggression and competition.

The three groups come from different fields and reach a very wide audience. They all express the same theme of freedom equality inclusion, regardless of gender, race or group. This is in fact one of the core demands of modern feminism. Feminism is not about gender dichotomy.

We are the change makers

According to Banet-Weiser, S. while, feminism is flourishing in the 21st century, for every institution that builds women’ confidence, there is another men’s rights institution that claims men are the “real” victims. The growing acceptance of feminism as an identity, concept, and practice is exciting for many men and women; however, for those who see feminism as a threat, this attitude can incite fear and violence. Misogyny is prevalent in today’s society for the same reasons that feminism is: it is expressed and practiced through multiple media platforms, attracts other like-minded groups and individuals, and manifests itself in areas of conflict and power struggle. Contemporary online media contexts express popular feminism and popular misogyny, making the centuries-long struggle between feminism and misogyny a universal expression.

This campaign by Gymshark is an excellent example of breaking down misogyny. In addition to the traditional definition of femininity, they chose to include transgender people, queer, and other groups with multiple self-defined identities. Each identity is therefore protected by the protective shield of breaking down prejudice. Interestingly, both founders of gymshark are male. The choice of diverse groups challenges traditional definitions and quests for masculinity, it also challenges the traditional quest for heterosexual femininity, especially how femininity is used to cement male dominance. Breaking down traditional stereotypes. This undermining and de-legitimization of feminism are ongoing. the Gymshark campaign breaks this stranglehold by celebrating the new generation of women who continue to fight for their rights, create comfortable living and working environments for themselves and resist the manipulation of a patriarchal society.