The White Supremacist Origins of Exercise, and 6 Other Surprising Facts About the History of U.S. Physical Fitness

Time ^ | December 28th, 2022 | Olivia B. Waxman

[shadowlands1960]

How did U.S. exercise trends go from reinforcing white supremacy to celebrating Richard Simmons? That evolution is explored in a new book by a historian of exercise, Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, author of the book Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America’s Exercise Obsession, out Jan. 2023.

Nowadays, at the beginning of every New Year, many Americans hit the gym to work off their holiday feasts. This momentum usually starts to fade in mid-January, according to a 2019 analysis of data on fitness tracking apps by Bloomberg. But such new year’s resolutions are pretty new—as is the concept of exercise as a way to improve bodily health.

*** ***

It was super interesting reading the reflections of fitness enthusiasts in the early 20th century. They said we should get rid of corsets, corsets are an assault on women’s form, and that women should be lifting weights and gaining strength. At first, you feel like this is so progressive.

Then you keep reading, and they’re saying white women should start building up their strength because we need more white babies. They’re writing during an incredible amount of immigration, soon after enslaved people have been emancipated. This is totally part of a white supremacy project. So that was a real “holy crap” moment as a historian, where deep archival research really reveals the contradictions of this moment.

[TonyinLA]

So if I am to understand the lefties.....the only way to be true to your race, as an african american, asian or hispanic, is to be obese, uneducated, slovenly, and criminally minded. Otherwise you’re perpetuating white supremacy, you see.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

Olivia B. Waxman, white woman, writes about Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, white woman, to talk about white supremacy as does Elizabeth Warren, white woman claiming to be 1/1024th Indian. A U Chicago Press Executive Editor, Karen Darling, is a white woman. Another U Chicago Press Executive Editor, Mary E. Laur, is a white woman. Karen Levine is another Executive Editor, and white. Marta Tonegutti is Editor at U Chicago Press, and white. And Kari Roane, Director, Journals Acquisitions and Publisher, is oddly white. Go, white gals! You all are not just the Supremes.... because you're too white.

TIME to give it a rest. White women infected with liberalism are become lunatics and liars -- for money usually, as this article peddles a University of Chicago published book.

Here's how you can submit to UCPress: https://press.uchicago.edu/resource/publishing_with_chicago.html

[shadowlands1960]

heh

[shadowlands1960]

I’ll need more evidence she’s a ‘historian.’

[the OlLine Rebel]

Again, not enough time or gumption (it’s been a heck of a “physical” week), but I’m sure this is tied into the “Muscular Christianity” movement of the late 1800s-on.

Of course, it was started by white Americans, so must be racist.

OTOH, since whites created so much stuff, shouldnt whites demand that none of that be appropriated? Including exercise?

[the OlLine Rebel]

I actually read the article!

THIS IS A TEASER HEADLINE.

There is really NOTHING MORE than shown in the excerpt about “white supremacy”. And that wasn’t very compelling.

So this is another example of Time (MSM) trying to make something about their Woke PC religion. Continue the narrative of evil white Americans.

It hardly touches on it.

[euram]

Not surprising that Olivia Waxman decides to attack white people. She has a history of that. Take a look at the long list of columns that have appeared in Time Magazine, many of them calling the US “racist”.

https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/

[shadowlands1960]

Yes... it’s a blurb... that’s why I skipped the middle paragraphs to get to it...

[Antihero101607]

So, does this make Michelle Obama white supremacist-adjacent for the whole “Let’s Move” thing?

[Dead Corpse]

I have... I also agree with you.

[Do_Tar]

Don’t they exercise in that documentary about Wakanda?