How to Create an Inclusive Campus Recreation Environment

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Campus recreation has come a long way since the days when women weren't recognized as NIRSA members — true story! — but the need for progress never stops. For example, some segments within student populations may still feel like they don't belong at rec centers.

"Patrons in larger bodies didn't necessarily have a specific experience that made them feel unwelcome, but there are a lot of assumptions about what you should look like if you go to a gym," says Erin Bransford, fitness and wellbeing coordinator at Portland State University. "We've received comments such as, 'I would never go there' and 'There's nothing they could do that would make me feel like it was someplace I belong.' It can be an uphill battle for rec centers, because there's a strong preconceived notion a lot of people have about gyms and gym culture."

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