Australian Woman Asked To Leave Gym For Showing "So Much Skin"

Gabi Watson, a 27-year old writer from Sydney, Australia, took to Instagram earlier this week to tell her followers that she was asked to leave her gym and go "change" because her clothes showed "so much skin." She claimed that a female teacher, who had accompanied her teenage students to the gym, told Watson that her shorts were inappropriate.

Watson shared a picture of her outfit, writing, "It's a hot day, the air con was not on, but apparently this government teacher was concerned about the children seeing so much skin."

Image Credit: Gabi Goddard Instagram

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"I was asked to leave and change my outfit"

Recounting the entire incident through stories on her profile, Watson attached a letter that she reportedly sent to the Principal of Turramurra High, the school where the teacher who complained against her works. She wrote, "The teacher who accompanied your students to the gym this afternoon has behaved inappropriately and I would like to register a complaint... I was called over by the gym owner and told that your teacher had asked me to not be allowed to workout in front of your teenage students, due to the shorts I was wearing."

She goes on to say that being a powerlifter who does heavyweight lifting, her workouts require her to "use a significant range of motion, meaning that fitted & stretchy clothes are necessary. Due to the heat today and level of energy used, I was wearing the most practical thing: workout shorts... I was asked to leave and change my outfit."

As per her posts, the Principal of the school replied to Watson saying that his staff did not instigate any such incident.

Watson's Account Draws Mixed Reactions On Social Media

She went on to condemn the "sway" this particular school had "over the clothing choices (and freedom to exercise) of an independent adult woman," and that it was perpetuating harmful values where "14 year old boys are given priority over women. Where women are punished for boy's and men's propensity for objectifying women."

She reiterated that she was publicly shamed in front of her students for an outfit that was "in no way gratuitous." Watson's account of the event attracted a lot of mixed reactions from her followers, with some supporting and others opposing her. "This stuff drives me crazy. I wouldn't want my daughter being told what to wear by a stranger," a woman wrote. Meanwhile, Watson shared the response from a man who wrote, "Wear a loose t-shirt. Stop trying to get attention."

Watson has made a record of the entire account on her profile under the highlight 'The Gym Saga.'