Gen Z Want Segregated Gyms

In 1887, Massachusetts became the first state in the U.S. to enact law to separate public restrooms by sex—and now, 137 years later, more than half of Gen Zers back gender segregation in gyms, a poll has found.

The topic of gender separation in public spaces is still rife with debate. Just last month, gym chain Planet Fitness faced calls for a boycott after terminating a customer's membership for raising concerns about a transgender woman in the women's locker room.

While much of the debate around gender-segregated spaces has been about opening them up, recent polling conducted exclusively for Newsweek by Redfield & Wilton Strategies has unveiled a shift in attitudes toward separate gym facilities for men and women, particularly among younger generations.

The survey asked 1,500 U.S. adults to what degree they would support male or female-only hours or sections in gyms. Notably, Gen Z respondents (aged 18-26) expressed the most approval, with 57 percent agreeing with the idea.

Separating men and women is a concept often associated with more conservative views—but the poll results are perhaps no surprise. According to a Gallup and Walton Family Foundation study conducted last fall, a significant portion of Gen Z teens are identifying as more conservative than previous generations on various issues including birth control, drug use, and pornography.

This shift is particularly pronounced among young conservatives within this generation, suggesting a departure from the liberal leanings often associated with younger demographics in recent years.

Comparatively, older generations exhibit less enthusiasm for gender-segregated gyms. While millennials still voiced relatively strong support—22 percent—the figure decreased to 15 percent in support among Gen X, and only 14 percent of baby boomers and the Silent Generation showed strong support for separate workout spaces.

"I think there could well be an effect here where young people are more frequent gym users, so are more invested in the idea and have more direct experience of the downsides of mixed gym areas and sessions," Professor Bobby Duffy, professor of public policy and director of the policy institute at King's College London and author of The Generation Divide, told Newsweek.

"There certainly has been some conservative drift among young people, and in particular a split between young men and women on whether gender equality has gone too far, which is increasing tension between the genders among that young group—but that's not what these data are showing," Duffy said. "I think these findings are more in line with the more accepted view that young people are more sensitive to the need for safe and comfortable environments for women than older generations."

To address this demand, Total Fitness, a U.K. gym chain with over 100,000 members, recently launched The Women's Gym. This female-only gym was opened following the success of women-only spaces in their existing gyms, which they report are utilized by 1 in 3 of their female customers.

Total Fitness have also noticed a particular interest from younger women. A spokesperson told Newsweek: "While we have seen an increased demand across all ages, we have seen the highest demand for our first Women's Gym with women aged between 22 and 32."

Gender-segregated gym spaces have gained traction on social media platforms like TikTok, too, with young women sharing their experiences in female-only spaces and viewers expressing interest in finding similar spots near them.

User @senora_alma, aged 24, shared her local all-girls gym on TikTok, and the video was flooded with comments from women impressed by the concept.

"A DREAM," said one person, while others shared how they "need" a space like this where they lived.

While 27-year-old TikToker @lovefrommichelle_ recently posted a video with the caption: "POV: You started going to a ladies only gym and you don't have anxiety working out anymore."