Unsafe New York: Part Twenty Six

WORKING OUT AT THE GYM AGAIN, NOVEMBER 24TH, 2006
So, I was back at the gym and working out...
I was enjoying myself after a day's break. This was after the first incident and after I have submitted the letter and gone through the conversation and communication with the management. The management has chastised the problem maker and told me I should be safe to work out. I was not. Below is a copy of a letter to the Chelsea Recreation Center, dated of November 24th. It contains the account of what has come to pass that day.

11/24/06
To whom it may concern:
This events took place 2 days after the first incident. The gentleman from Nov 22, 06 now continued his historianics. But he was not alone now. I came for my regular work out, and very focused did my sets, when the time came to use the same machine at which he harassed me last time, I encountered a problem again. A man who hung on the machine, looked like he was catching his breath. I did not bother him, for I knew what it was like to have a dizzy spell. Eventually he left the machine. I looked at him. He looked at me. He smiled. I smiled. He nodded. I came up to the machine and nodded at it. He nodded back. He stepped away from the machine. I started my work out. When I was on my 12th number, he came up from behind and said to me he wants the machine now. But I explained to him I needed to finish the set otherwise I would have to start again. He started yelling and saying that he wants the machine, and he wants it. I asked him why he did not let me know he was not done before. "I couldn't do anything! You just jumped in." You mean to say you did not communicate with me?" I asked him. "No!" He denied. "I didn't even see you." I stood there not know what to say. He decisevely came up to me and put the sit of the machine - down. "That's it. You are done." He commanded.
"What? Put the sit down, pleas." He put the sit down 2 more times. "I am going on." The guy came from behind and breathed on my face. The guy from two days ago came up to him and me. He put hisd arm around the guy, and said: it is her again. She is crazy. She wants something? What can she want?" The guy who denied interacting with me looked at another guy. They nodded at one another. They started talking about me. How "bitch" I was. How "she" was stupid. How "she" was crazy. How "she dared."
LAter on, the guy from two days ago introduced himself to people as "trainer here." He monopolized machines and him and his friends worked in pairs and triplets in such a way that is was impossible to get in to use the machine. While I had no chanceto catche my breath without some man coming from behind me and suggesting I "leave" or grabbing the machine, this person and most people in the gymsat on the machines, hung from them, talked at them, looked at one another and discussed the "bitches." Same guy from two days ago was talking about the female worker that was involved in the incident few days ago. He said that she "was not even sexy," was fat, draw her with his hands like a square, said "stupid bitch."
Why is he allowed to promote misogyny and still in the same gym with me and other people?
Dana Zakharov 11/24/06

The next thing after that, a third incident. The incident where people now began to criticize my hair cut, my looks my appearances, my work out style. I was called "bitch" and many other things. I had to discontinue my work out and head over to the management where I placed yet another complaint. I have met with the manager of the Chelsea Recreation center Michael Cushing and he has suggested the presence of a guard of premise to protect me. The cameras installed were insufficient as they did not cover enough of the area of the gym. I have taken the sir on his word and returned to work out with previously indicated dates and times, but for one week he was nowhere to be found. I had to come to the city three times and spend 12 dollars I did not have, all in vain. No manager, no directions, and most importantly, no work out. Finally, two weeks later I have met with his deputy manager, who has scheduled me to come next week for a meeting with the head of the (got to get the name and the titile) to discuss "my" problem. I was told to be understanding to me because "they were doing it for a longer time" and that they had a "rhythm" and that they "naturally did not like females(!!)". I was suggested basically, to reduce my work out load to accomodate the prejudices and the bigotries of the gym attendants, although we both were gym patrons and on the territory of the United States Of America. Why is it that I had to play something less and helpless, was, the answer..because I was a female! This is an indication of how deep the disease is in, if a black woman who is the head of the manager of the gym, tells me that. The CITY GYM at that.
Now I am supposed to have an escort to the gym to work out, like I can't be there without getting bashed or harassed without it. The men in the gym do not want women in there and they constantly reduce them to a secondary station through the usage of a forbidden gender card.