I’m (she/her) being ignored by a coach at my new gym. For context, I’ve been participating in a martial art for the past five years. While the sport is male-dominated, all of the coaches I’ve had were always welcoming to me and the other women—except for this one. In the six weeks I’ve been at this gym, this coach hasn’t said hello to me, he won’t give me feedback during class, and he won’t even make eye contact with me! I’ve been paying attention, and I have yet to see him interact with any woman at all, except for his wife. I thought maybe he’s just a misogynist and thinks women shouldn’t be doing this sport, but he is so encouraging of his wife’s training. He even seems like a nice guy. I don’t want to be ignored by this guy forever because getting attention during class is essential to improving in this sport. I don’t know if there is anything I can do to get him to acknowledge me.
—Tired of Being Ignored