Nadia Foderaro

Professor Michael Lasley

CTWI

16 November 2018

Malley Fitness Center

Santa Clara University prides itself in making their students feel a sense of belonging.

Their website’s section on “Vision” explicitly states, “We cherish our diverse and inclusive

community of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni.” One of their virtues is to

create a community for those who did not have one in the past. However, society cannot help but

get in the way of this. A report from the school’s newspaper, “The Santa Clara,” reports that of

2912 respondents, 25% of them experienced exclusionary, intimidating, and/or hostile conduct.

This statistic cannot put the school to blame; it is rather the unwritten rules of certain spaces that

make students feel this way. Perhaps, it is the most welcoming places that cause the most

diffidence; the places that advocate for a sense of belonging. In the Malley Fitness Center,

specifically, the discomfort stems from desirable traits, and how a “fit person” should look.

Those with body image insecurities may easily be intimidated walking into a place where they

know they will feel like an outcast. Though, the judgments people make of others are not innate.

Instead, they are taught and, therefore, learned. Margo Monteith, professor of psychology at the

University of Kentucky, states, ”Children don't have a choice about accepting or rejecting these

conceptions, since they're acquired well before they have the cognitive abilities or experiences to

form their own beliefs,” (Paul). The ideology we feed to young generations is seemingly toxic;

we need not look at a stranger and point out their differences. These same propositions are made
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in the essays of both Sarah Ahmed, author of Recognizing Strangers, and Nancy Cantor, 21st

Century Academy. The physicalities of Malley promote an atmosphere of good health and

improvement of quality of life, but most of the other aspects seem to do the opposite. Some feel

that their bodies hold them back from expressing the yearn for this improvement; others cannot

find a place in result of their gender. The hidden meanings within the Malley Fitness Center

create stiffness in the minds of insecure individuals who decide to step inside.

The Malley Fitness Center on the Santa Clara University campus is designed for any and

all people who want to improve their health and wellness. Not only do they have a large weight

room with an abundance of machines, but they also have pre scheduled classes, a three court

basketball gym, and locker rooms. Although the people who roam the gym look the same, the

gym is not designed to be like this. When I first walked into the general weight room area of the

gym, I noticed the flood of people who filled it; it was around 5 o’clock. There are dozens of

machines to be used within the fitness center, and at least 3 of each had a person putting it to use.

The wall facing the front of the gym is lined with treadmills, ellipticals, and stair climbers.

Anyone would be able to tell that the amount of ellipticals in Malley is significantly higher than

any other machine. In the middle of the room, there is a plethora of bikes along with a couple

rowing machines. In one last row, there are benches for lifting hand held weights facing racks on

end of dumbbells.

The gym prides itself in the number of machines that line the walls and carpet. However,

people using the machines tend to choose ones that are far away from another person using it. Of

course, no one wants to be the person sitting directly next to another when the whole room is

open. But, it got to the point where students would refrain from using an elliptical if it was set
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between two pre existing users. Saying this, it was evident at first glance that no one was

working in groups. Almost every student wore headphones while exercising and it took me

nearly twenty minutes to observe a word of conservation between two people. Using the

machines myself, I noticed that each person avoided eye contact with me, and everyone else, as

they passed. In fact, contact like this filters throughout the entire aura of the gym. Like most of

Santa Clara’s campus, the Malley Fitness Center is primarily designed to advocate for a feeling

of openness and inclusivity. The gym walls are fully lined with mirrors to promote good form,

but also to make the space feel more open than it actually is. In the same way, Malley is lined

with windows where the mirrors are not. You can watch the people as they pass by on their way

to class...but they can also watch you. Interestingly enough, the architecture is so open that I can

see people inside of the gym from the window of my own dorm room. The difficult thing to

understand about Malley is not the layout of the space. Instead, it is the activity of those filling it.

Observing the actions of people in the gym was interesting, but even more fascinating

was the observations of their physical characteristics. It seemed to me that the people who

occupied the gym were cookie cutter. The women were all slim, wearing similar variations of the

same tight clothing. The men, bulky and strong, provided little to no evidence for my search of

diversity. Sitting there was one of the first times I felt different wearing a high school t-shirt to

the gym instead of a Lululemon tank. In any sense, this does not come as a surprise to me. What

did come as a surprise to me was that this all changed when the clock struck 9. Suddenly, the

people occupying the space got older. Their appearances were less put together and baggier than

before. The room began to look like a real college campus, pervaded with different types of

people. Even though the Malley Fitness Center is a perfect resource to get your body moving and
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to improve your health, many people will never use it as this because of the discomfort that

comes with it. It is clearly understood that people may feel insecure in result of being portrayed

as inferior. Still, I believe that insecurity in a gym could rely on the fact that people are closely

sharing a space with people they have never met.

Sara Ahmed’s “Recognizing Strangers” discusses those who we do not recognize. While

glancing around your surroundings, some people feel out of place. Saying this, it is inevitable

that humans set boundaries or standards for what they classify as a stranger. These people are

said to “contaminate our spaces.” When I, and many others, see a stranger we find ourselves

grouping them into social spaces within our minds. Good or bad, that is just human nature. Sara

Ahmed continued in the essay by defining neighborhoods and dwellings as hubs for the

recognition of strangers. Previously mentioned, humans set boundaries. In this case, they set

physical boundaries for their communities. Neighborhoods can be defined as communities that

continue to grow, where people live close to each other. However, regarding the people that live

in them, neighborhoods are much more complex. She states in the essay, “a healthy body does

not let outsiders in,” (Ahmed, 27). In terms of a neighborhood, when new people move in, it is

extremely common for others to search around for information about the new neighbors. In the

same way, people just feel more comfortable when they are at ease with those around them.

Strangers who do not become agreeable naturally just do not belong.

Ahmed claims that the ideal neighborhood must be worked on. In such a large area, there

will always be someone who doesn’t belong. On a larger scale, this can parallel to that of society

where, sadly, some people will never fit in. However, all of this leads to the assumption that

different is bad. The essay also brought up the idea of neighborhood watch, people who provide
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safety and reassurance for those who see someone that does not belong. Whoever it may be- a

pedestrian walking around, or a thief in the night- we are taught to fear these people. The term

“stranger danger” has been embedded in our memories from a very young age. Ahmed presents

the symbol of the child, who is victimized, in this case, by the stranger. Sure, the literal child

should not be too quick to jump into a stranger’s arms, but people we do not recognize should

not be immediately judged or pushed away. Why not give everyone an equal chance? What

makes one stranger less than another? A good lesson to learn quickly in life is to not fear the

stranger, but to embrace them with an open mind.

Similarly, Chancellor of Rutgers University, Nancy Cantor, wrote a speech titled 21st

Century Academy which speaks of the idea of multiculturalism and grouping within a

community. On any college campus, tension in inevitable. With so many students coming from

as far as across the world, everyone has a different point of view. Tension relating to religion,

race, ethnicity, and sexuality must be talked about, therefore, to fix them and the problems within

society that arise in result of them. Cantor speaks heavily on the role that identity groups and

organizations play in our community. Not only this, but she argues that cultural practice plays a

huge role as well. In some cultures, boys are valued more than girls, so being born a girl affects

you immediately. Though, as you grow older, you create your own social identity with the way

you act and people you choose to associate with yourself. “Many people’s reaction to these

‘culture wars’ is to suggest that we all just turn our backs on groups altogether - as when people

call for a color-blind or culture-blind or gender-blind society,” (Cantor, 66). Cantor disagrees

with these people, for blindness dissolves identities that people feel pride in. Refusing to see

differences in people asserts the ignorance to discrimination and prejudice among them. All of
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this moved into the idea of being either an insider or an outsider. Whether we choose to accept it

or not, everyone is a bit of both. Insiders sometimes feel like groups are not necessary, because

they are already “in the know.” In some cases, insiders feel entitled and use what they already

know to create blueprints of how they view other people. But, they seem to keep groups close

enough to them if they ever needed a fall back. On the other hand, outsiders are more oppressed,

where their social location determines how they are treated by others.

Both the essays of Sarah Ahmed and Nancy Cantor contain ideas that embody the

discomfort of stepping into SCU’s gym. Although the Malley Fitness Center is designed to

promote health and the improvement of well-being, there are unwritten rules that make it much

different for some. Ideas used in the texts relating to one's cognitive map of the world, visual

economy, epistemic privilege, and cognitive egocentrism can be used to justify the emotion

provoked by Malley. Someone’s cognitive map of the world relates to where that person expects

people to be and why. In the same way, it is explanation of which bodies feel out of place to that

person and why they do not belong there. Ahmed uses this idea in Recognizing Strangers to

detail the fact that humans create mental representations of physical locations using people.

When asked about the people at Malley, I believe that most of the students at SCU would picture

a similar image to each other. This is because there is a certain stigma around those that go to the

gym; they’re usually confident, fit, thin, and strong. People expect to see these images when they

walk into a gym. So, when a person who fits outside of those characteristics is seen at a place

like Malley, a person’s cognitive map is triggered because they are a body that will probably

seem out of place. Another idea that Sara Ahmed introduces in her essay is visual economy: the

idea that humans value and/or are scared of some bodies more than others. This idea is closest
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related to stereotypes and how they affect our view on different people. For example, if someone

saw a blonde white woman, they’d probably feel a sense of normality. On the other hand,

someone who sees a middle eastern man wearing a turban may feel a sense of discomfort

because of the stereotypes that have been placed behind this group. The idea of valuing some

bodies over others resonates heavily with the reputation of Malley. Since our society is based

deeply around social media, humans have come to the conclusion that the “skinny, fit” body type

is desirable for women. In this case, we value desirable traits, and believe that any traits that do

not fit within this box are more easily judged. Sure, visual economy is about value, but it is also

about who we decide it is okay to treat differently, good or bad.

Nancy Cantor’s idea of epistemic privilege can also be applied to the Santa Clara

University campus. Cantor explains this as the privilege of knowing things that insiders do not

know. Because outsiders are closer related to their groups, they can see places of discrimination

and things that are wrong in a community. On the other hand, insiders would have to have these

designs pointed out to them. At SCU, outsiders would quickly realize that although the people at

Malley are very cookie cutter, the stereotypes placed around these people are false. Mindful

people know that going to a gym is about improving your fitness, but the same people would

probably take a second glance if they saw someone who did not fit the overall atmosphere of the

room. All of these ideas promote the fact that places intended for inclusion and improvement can

provoke discomfort unintentionally. The last idea that could easily fall into the Malley Fitness

Center is cognitive egocentrism. Cognitive egocentrism is the practice of using one's experiences

to judge other people and assuming that these experiences are universal. So, someone who sees

an article about a man of a certain race stealing from a store may believe that everyone who
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shares that race has bad character in them. At Malley, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that people

believe those who are bigger in size would not know how to use gym equipment just because a

student saw ONE person who fit that description. However, this could also be associated with

different traits, like gender. People may feel as though women do not know how to lift weights

because students see men doing it more often. All of this stems from the desire for status.

Despite the fact that most of the involuntary judgment comes from body image and

insecurity in general, there is also a stigma around gender within the Malley Fitness Center. As

the fight for femininity has become more prominent today, it is surprising that gender inequality

has not vanished thus far. Certain areas of the gym have a strong gender delineation, including

the weight room. For example, if I asked a group to draw a picture of someone lifting heavy

weights in the gym, I would bet that almost no one drew the lifter to be a woman. Yet, fitness

centers are not exclusive to this type of thinking. An area that greatly feeds off of this idea is the

car scene. Amy L. Best’s Race-ing Men signifies masculinity in car ownership. The essay

discusses the importance of street racing to the San Jose area. It begins by talking about the

students in an auto class and the cars that they drive. Since the students want to race, but do not

necessarily have the money to buy nice cars, they drive inexpensive, old ones with many miles

already logged into them. “Thuy Vo has gained what he had hoped to achieve, a must-sought-

after visibility for his individual style and collectively recognized one through his car” (Best, 39).

This made me realize that the students believed a sense of belonging was at the top of their

priorities. Having someone notice their cars around town seemed like a significant achievement

to them. These activities controlled their sense of being a man and gave them status if they were

at the top. Being the best racer, or even racing in the first place, asserted masculinity to others
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which was, apparently, powerful. Not only this, but the men wanted to feel like they were doing

something dangerous. They would drive in forbidden territories and abandoned industrial zones

and brag about receiving speeding tickets or blowing their engines from driving too fast. To the

racing men, the cops made racing a risky activity. They symbolized authority, and the boys

wanted to show that they had the ability to break out against the higher powers.

As stated before, it was evident that men began investing in cars in search of individuality

and sensibility. But, doing this became too closely related to gender. First, boys began counting

how many ladies they could pick up with the rev of an engine in the school parking lot. Not only

this, but people who spent too much time detailing their cars were seen as only doing it for the

aesthetic appeal. This reminded others of girls spending too much time getting ready to go out

for the night. Although I understand this comparison, it still shows through as sexist. Taking the

time to make something look more valuable should not have any correlation to sex. Similar to

the status of racing a certain car, people tend to believe that lifting a certain amount of weight

provides status in a gym. Though, a woman trying to gain status in the same area would probably

be ridiculed before she even began. This cycle always comes back to stereotypes. Because it is,

or was, uncommon to see a woman lifting weights rather than sweating on an elliptical, people

seem to believe it is not possible. This type of behavior creates discomfort among women,

specifically, because they are shot down before they are even given a chance. Women who step

into Malley intending on performing a certain workout may have to change their plans in result

of the actions of others. It may seem like an issue of the past, but gender intolerance is still found

in spaces that people use everyday.

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For some, visiting the Malley Fitness Center on Santa Clara University’s campus will be

a one time trip. It is common for people who have negative experiences in a specific space to

never be inclined to visit again. But, who is to blame for this? The answer is simple. It’s the

person who fits into the image of the “fit” body type. It’s the person who takes the second glance

when an outsider hops onto a treadmill. It’s the man who is surprised when the woman next to

him sits on the bench press. The answer is not Santa Clara University or those who designed

Malley. It is the people who are influenced by society to think that stereotypes are true. To

counter these actions, society must end their judgment. People often look at others negatively

because they feel lonely, insecure, or like they need change. However, these reasons promote

stereotypes, negativity, and, in the end, encourage you to judge yourself even harder. Sadly

enough, it takes someone to be hurt to know how it feels to hurt. But, we cannot continue hurting

those who are perpetrating the negativity for it to end; this is an endless cycle. Instead, we must

carry out notions to fix the ills of society. For a start, people can focus on their own lives; they

can work towards creating a space without boundaries. People will never be perfect. There will

always be some type of prejudice, publicly stated or not. If we began to lessen it, even just a little

bit, people would immediately feel more comfortable in spaces that are meant for inclusion.
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Works Cited

Ahmed, Sara. Strange Encounters: Embodied Others in Post-Coloniality. London: Routledge,

2000. Print.

Best, Amy L. 2014 “Racing Men: Boys, Risk and the Politics of Race” Reprinted in The Urban

Ethnography Reader. Eds. Mitchell Duneier and Philip Kasinitz, Oxford: Oxford

University Press

Cantor, Nancy, "Multiculturalism, Universalism, and the 21st Century Academy" (2006). Office

of the Chancellor. 32. https://surface.syr.edu/chancellor/32

Paul, Annie M. “Where Bias Begins: The Truth About Stereotypes.” Psychology Today, Sussex

Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/199805/where-bias-begins-the-truth-

about-stereotypes.