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Terry Foster Thinks Buddy Who Winks at Planet Fitness Shouldn't Be Admonished

November 14, 2017, 1:00 PM

With the onslaught of stories about people like Harvey Weinstein, Roy Moore and Louis CK, the issue of appropriate behavior is at front and center these days.


Terry Foster: "I could be wrong on this one." (Facebook photo)

But Terry Foster, a former sports columnist and radio personality, thinks managers at his workout club, Planet Fitness, go too far.

At his blog, he writes: 

There was turmoil in the health club today.

One of the guys I work out with got called on the carpet for winking at a woman. She didn’t like it and reported him to the staff. There are eight of us guys who work out together and Planet Fitness threatened to kick us all out of the gym.

That’s not right. But I don’t know if winking at a woman is a federal offense either. There is a fine line between being friendly and a creeper. My friend is not a creeper. He is a winker.

He even winks at me while telling a joke.

A woman gave me her phone number and offered drinks at a local watering hole. I was not offended. I was flattered. I would never report her to the staff.

Our gym is a friendly place for the most part. People offer to help you get buffed and lose weight. They don’t hit on you. They are being nice.

But there are creepers in the place. They are men who look at women’s butts and cleavage while practically drooling. Women don’t like those guys and I don’t blame them. They complain privately about those guys, but have not issued a complaint.


Photo by Planet Fitness.

His claim of over-reaction may seem insensitive or clueless to some, and even Foster acknowledges his view may be askew: 

My question for women is what is appropriate behavior in the gym and do you believe the Winker crossed that line?

I don’t believe he did. But I could be wrong on this one.

These are among reactions at a Reddit thread about Foster's post:

  • A solid rule for the gym: Mind your own business, keep your head down and focus on your own workout.
  • Winking at someone you don't know is weird.
  • Winking is OK if you're in an environment where someone might, even remotely, consider you for a romantic partner. The gym is not a bar or a club or even walking the dog. Mind your own business.
  • He may not have specifically crossed the line, but the woman was totally in the right to complain. Terry Foster insists that his friend is definitely a good guy, but how is she supposed to know that? Dudes obviously creeping on women at the gym is enough of a widespread problem that men have lost the benefit of the doubt and should avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

A Deadline reader responds to this article on Twitter:


Read more:  Terry Foster Blog


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