Before the 1920s, large bodies were considered a symbol of health and prosperity. Today, being overweight is often linked to poverty.
White Americans’ ideas of fitness changed drastically in the early 20th century. With enslaved people emancipated and mass immigration into the U.S., fitness became part of a white supremacy project based on the belief that healthy white Christian adults would produce healthy white Christian babies.
Because Black people were more likely to be relegated to jobs requiring physical labor, low pay, and long hours, most members of the first gyms were white. What’s worse, white supremacists today are using a new kind of athletic club to prepare for war.
White supremacist Active Clubs have been forming since around 2020. These clubs train in mixed martial arts in preparation for a supposed war against white erasure. Just like their ancestors, they exercise and train from fear: fear of our Blackness, and fear of our community.
White men have historically used fitness to oppress and terrorize Black people. The rise of white supremacist active clubs heightens this threat of anti-Black violence against our community.