Queer Joy Is Resistance: How We’re Celebrating Pride at Iron and Mettle🌈
I was a little nervous to write this blog, mostly because I’m someone who walks through the world with a lot of privilege. I’m a boring-ass cisgender white woman, and Pride is not about me. But I also run a business that centers women and other marginalized people - a business that exists within an industry that has historically treated anyone who looks “different” (read: not a man) poorly. Gyms are places where so many queer and trans people have (and still do) feel unsafe and unseen.
When I set out to start Iron and Mettle, one of my main goals was to make sure it never became a space fueled by masculine ego and judgment. Men already overrun nearly every lifting gym out there and I was tired of hearing women talk about how uncomfortable they felt in those spaces. I wanted Iron and Mettle to feel different. A place where women could learn how to lift a barbell and feel an immense amount of joy and pride while doing it.
That’s why I absolutely love that San Francisco’s Pride theme this year is Queer Joy is Resistance. It feels so perfect for the moment we’re in. When I reflect on what I can do to help Iron and Mettle bring more joy to our queer members - especially to those who have traditionally felt outcasted from gyms - I always come back to this: Pride isn’t only about the fundraisers and parades. It has to show up every single day.
That means visibility and representation. It means hiring staff who don’t all look the same. It means our coaches using language that reflects real inclusivity, and coaching in a way that meets people where they are. It means creating a space where no one has to shrink or change themselves to fit in. It means voting. It means asking members for feedback.
To our queer and trans members: Iron and Mettle is for you. This month and every month, we see you. We will always keep building a space that honors all bodies, all identities, and all kinds of strength.
Happy Pride Month to all the STRONG QUEENS of Iron and Mettle. Now let's go absolutely smash the patriarchy🌈
-Danielle
PS: want to participate in our Pride fundraiser? Check out our Pride Shop and Donation page!