The post was taken down after four hours
National gym chain PureGym have been forced to apologise after one of their branches posted an insensitive ‘slavery’ workout on social media.
October is Black History Month, and PureGym’s Luton and Dunstable branch said they would ‘celebrate’ the occasion by posting a workout entitled ’12 Years Of Slave’.
The post, which remained live for four hours but has since been deleted, said:
“This is our workout of the month designed to celebrate Black History Month. Slavery was hard and so is this.”
Understandably, the post’s insensitivity caused outrage.
“The PureGym in Luton and Dunstable seem to think this post is an appropriate way to celebrate Black History Month,” commented one Twitter user.
The @PureGym in Luton and Dunstable seem to think this post is an appropriate way to celebrate Black History Month… pic.twitter.com/kTpdWEuE88
— Georgia Coan (@georgia_coan) October 5, 2020
Another wrote: “As a member of your gym I was disgusted and deeply offended by your gym in Luton & Dunstable statement. Lessons need to be learned. Education on #BlackHistoryMonth.”
As a member of your gym I was disgusted and deeply offended by your gym in Luton & Dunstable statement. Lessons need to be learned. Education on #BlackHistoryMonth . pic.twitter.com/YuorWvUqS1
— Models Of Diversity (@ModsOfDiversity) October 5, 2020
Many people pointed out that the workout wasn’t an appropriate tribute to Black History Month.
Another Twitter user said: “How a workout can be compared to slavery, I’ll never know. Do better.”
PureGym issued a statement apologising for the post after four hours.
Official statement from PureGym regarding an inappropriate post on the Luton & Dunstable gym social media channels. pic.twitter.com/c91xwHIogk
— PureGym (@PureGym) October 5, 2020
The statement read: “PureGym apologises unreservedly for a post regarding Black History Month that was made today by our gym in Luton & Dunstable.
“This post was wholly unacceptable, was not approved or endorsed by the company and was removed when it was brought to our attention. We take this matter extremely seriously and are urgently investigating how and why this post was made.
“Thank you to those people who commented on this post and for raising this with us.”
The personal trainer responsible initially defended his actions, and kept the workout on his Instagram despite being asked to remove it.
He has since deleted it from his personal accounts too.
