(pop music)
- So I do work out at mainstream gyms but
I don't always feel like I fit in.
- Mainstream gyms are very like machismo
and aggressive.
- I do go to the gym I
I have to go into the men's locker room
and you know as somebody that has you know
a past as a woman going into an all-male space
where my you know my body
is very distinctly different
is terrifying.
- The gay community puts a lot of pressure
on men to look a certain way.
And because I don't look that way
it makes me feel like something's wrong with my body.
- This week of working out at a queer gym
is going to be really fun.
(hip hop music)
- I'm Sam Rypinski and I'm the founder of Everybody.
- I'm Lake Sharp and I am co-founder.
- [Sam] Everybody is a radically
inclusive holistic gym.
- [Lake] It's a place to build community.
We welcome you through our doors as you are.
You're not required to change anything.
We welcome your body as it is.
- Primarily we wanted to found the gym because
I wanted a space that I felt comfortable working out in.
(hip hop music)
Hyper body is incredible and is
exactly what someone from the future would look like.
This class does not feel like a
mainstream gym class
because it takes so
much from queer culture.
Bright colors, high energy,
a slight shamelessness to moving
that you don't see in mainstream gyms.
- [Man] I definitely felt like a huge
sense of belonging.
- [Woman] I did get emotional at one point
in the class.
Definitely dancing to Whitney Houston,
looking around at everybody and just seeing
everyone just smile.
- [Man] I typically don't like moving my body
in a sexual manner
but this class made it okay and I felt
comfortable to do it and I felt safe to do it.
(applause) - [Woman] You guys
my name is Amelia.
My preferred gender pronoun and she/her/hers.
This is Pony Sweat.
We're gonna move our bodies for a whole hour.
- I've always thought I was a good dancer (laughs)
until I took Ponies Sweats class.
There were several times that I was off beat,
missing the steps I was like what is happening here?
'Cause I can dig it. (laughs)
- I felt really good when
she started playing Robyn's Dancing On My Own.
- [Man] I'm already not a very good dancer
so just trying to keep up I was just like, uhhhhh.
- Say thank you body.
(hip hop music)
Thank you class. (applause)
(hip hop music)
- I thought the class was a really cool way
to have a little bit of a physical interaction
as well as feeling a spiritual connection to yourself.
- Today what we're going to do
is a nice restorative yoga class.
And we're gonna combine all the postures with a little
bit of breath work and mantra.
- [Woman] The class was super relaxing
and it felt like a really good intro into yoga
in a way of just understanding and feeling my body more.
- [ ] Put out a blessing to yourself.
Send out a prayer to your friends, your family
whoever needs your support.
But again, most of all, to yourself because
if you are happy that's the only way you're
gonna make other people happy.
- I knew the classes were gonna be different.
I didn't expect them to be so fun.
- I loved working out at Everybody.
- It was really cool to just kind of be myself.
I saw a lot of women weightlifting which was cool.
I was like yes, my people.
- The minute I stepped into Everybody
I saw people who looked like me and I was
immediately put at ease.
- Having queer gyms across the country
would open so many more people up to fitness
and that'd be great.
- If I could send a wish to myself it would be
to care for myself and be patient with my body.
And it's gonna do its own thing.
I just have to work with it and you know
love it the way that I can.
(hip hop music)