Being a woman in a masculine world (i.e. the gym)

I found a gym (cue applause) it is literally right around the corner from my apartment. It's called Space! Isn't that wonderful?

The gym itself is mostly full of buff boys grunting and sweating and classes full of women sweating and laughing out of pain and exhaustion. 

I feel this weird need to prove myself a super woman whenever I'm in a hyper masculine atmosphere. I like these classes, I have no idea what I'm doing in the gym and I plan on taking these classes until I can come up with my own workout regimes... it's just these classes are full of women (save one man!) it's such a contrast. You're either the only woman in the gym or the only man in a class. Why is that? These classes are hard! The one I took today we were deadlifting and bench pressing a bar. We squatted and lunged with this bar and then we dead lifted some more. I have no idea how I survived. My whole body is shaking from muscle exhaustion. I do feel stronger, if not a little sore... 

It's the same on the beach. Israelis play this game called matkot on the beach, it's essentially table tennis without the table and there is no winner-you just see how long you can keep the ball going. Every time I go to the beach, I bring matkot and play with people. I'm not great, I can't aim and slam the ball, nor can I return a fast ball, but I can keep it going for awhile.  I've noticed though that maybe one out of every 7 women players I see can actually hit the ball with some accuracy. It makes me self conscious. I don't know why... I just hate feeling like people are looking at me thinking "oh, she's not that good because she's a girl" or even worse "oh, she's pretty good for a girl." You can see the exasperated expression of all the male counterparts trying to be patient with this female newbie when all they want is to just play matkot. It embarrasses me for some reason, I feel like I have to prove myself and prove to every other male that women are good at this shit too, we just don't get as many opportunities to be introduced/practice to these silly hobbies. 

Anyway, I'm ranting. I know there are plenty of women that are beast at matkot, I just haven't seen many. 

I don't have much to say this time round... just: Woman power! We got this, ladies (and this goes to all you lady people, regardless of what society says about you)! We actually live in a woman's world, we've just accidentally let the man get too big of a head. We're reeling them in though, no worries :)

momento mori

xx