An Ottawa woman has alleged that the fitness club she is a member of told her that her tank top was ‘inappropriate dress’ although other patrons of the gym were wearing similar items of clothing.
Jenna Vecchio (posting as Rose Nickels) is a member of Movati Athletic Club in Orleans, Ontario. In a recent Facebook post, she wrote that a supervisor at the gym took her aside and told her that her tank top was ‘inappropriate dress’ and not ‘modest’ enough for the establishment.
“At Movati they have a dress code stating only appropriate gym attire and modest clothing is to be worn.”
Vecchio took issue with the supervisor’s comments, saying she felt she was being singled out due to the size of her chest being notably larger than her frame:
“I will start by saying my tank top was no different than many other women’s tank top at the club; except my chest size is much larger in appearance in comparison to my frame than many of the other women.”
Vecchio then asked the other female patrons if they felt she was dressed inappropriately, and they responded no. When she informed the supervisors of this, their reply was:
“…that it did not matter that due to my chest size I could not wear a tank top. I felt humiliated and discriminated against due to my figure. I was singled out and it is unfair to say I cannot wear a tank top and other women can! Different figures means different rules?”
Commenters have been supportive of Vecchio, but Buzzfeed received a statement from Movati saying that she wasn’t dressed the same at the gym as she was in the photographs posted on her Facebook page.
“While it may not have been intentional, Ms. Vecchio’s attire was not as modest as she has suggested via the images she shared recently on Facebook and through media interviews, and caused multiple members to feel uncomfortable and voice their concerns to our staff.”
(All images via Facebook/Rose Nickels)
