If you’re going to call your space the “Gayest Gym in the 614” – a central Ohio area code – you better be able to back up that claim.
It’s a good thing Sajel Roller is more than ready to lift the weight of that title.
As the owner of Inclusifity, Roller is doing everything she can to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ clients to embark on a health and wellness journey in the most affirming way possible.
“Part of the reason why our clientele got so big is because a lot of people in the queer community don’t feel like they fit in in a traditional cis het white society,” Roller said. “What kept them coming back to us is how we help the gym be not so scary.”
The Buckeye Flame spoke with Roller about her own fitness journey, her quest to open an affirming gym and her advice for starting your own health and wellness journey.
To listen, click play directly below or read our (edited) conversation beneath the audio link.
First, tell us about your own fitness journey and what led you to this point.
Great question. So basically it started when I was in college. I’m not one of the sporty gays. I joke that I’m like the least athletic person you’ll meet. But I started strength training when I was a student at [Ohio State University] and I ended up just falling in love with it. I basically couldn’t see my life without it.
Then in my second-to-last semester I saw an advertisement to take personal training classes. So I was like, “Well, I like working out and I like helping people, so, sure, I’d probably be good at that!” I started taking those classes, took the test, got certified and started working for OSU during my last semester there.
I really, really liked it, but the problem was I was making like no money. Then I met up with my former mentor who was the owner of the first gym where I trained. I told him a little bit about my situation and he said, “You should start a personal training business.”
Sure, why not? Let’s start a business. So I started my personal training business and then I was training out of his gym. I had built up a pretty decently sized clientele. I was kind of growing out of the space and then [my mentor] didn’t really wanna be a gym owner anymore, so it was good timing. I bought the gym from him and then coined it the as the “Gayest Gym in the 614”.
Where did that title “The Gayest Gym in the 614” come from?
At first, it was a joke. It was based on a doormat that said, “The gayest place in town.” And I was like, “Well, we need that.” So then it kind of started from there and then I started wondering, “Can I just call [my space] the gayest gym in the 614?”
There really are like no gyms that specifically focus and cater to the queer community. Like at all.
Really the best that you can get around here is maybe a gym that has like a rainbow flag in the corner. Or, you know, they might say that they’re a safe space. Vaguely. But there’s definitely a need for [more].
There is so much research out there about the health disparities experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals. Why is it important to create this welcoming space? What does that look like for you all?
Part of the reason why our clientele got so big is because a lot of people in the queer community don’t feel like they fit in in a traditional cis het white society. What kept them coming back to us is how we help the gym be not so scary. We make them feel more comfortable. Pretty much all gyms are dominated by straight white males and our clients don’t feel comfortable in those environments.
I wanted it to be clear before anybody even talks to me that it’s a safe space that you’re never gonna have to come here and wonder, “Do I need to use the correct bathroom? Are people gonna be looking at me? I don’t know what I’m doing. Are people gonna judge me?”
Can you tell us one of those success stories? Just one of those moments where you said, “This affirms everything that I set out to do with this gym.”
This has happened more than once. I’ll talk to somebody, like an older adult, and they’ll say, “I’ve never stayed consistent with any fitness regimen in my life, a lot of the reason because I’ve never felt comfortable in any gym.”
And then they come in, get started with us, and literally on their first day they’re like, “Wow, I am like. 40, 50 years old, and I’ve literally never ever felt comfortable in any fitness space and I immediately felt comfortable here.” And then they consistently come back.
We have a lot of like neuro-spicy clients, a lot of clients with severe social anxiety and that sort of thing. They’re understandably nervous when they first start. But I love that moment when I immediately see the nervousness just go away.
Talk directly to one of our readers, someone who’s sitting there thinking, “I would love to start my wellness journey, but I’m just too scared.” Maybe they had a bad experience as an LGBTQ+ person in a fitness space. What are those first couple sentences you say to them to get them started?
Listen, that’s a hundred percent understandable. I don’t blame you for not wanting to go back to a gym. But you also have to think about that it’s on your mind for a reason. Just remember why it’s important to you.
And at the end of the day, I can promise that you would be loved and accepted and supported and empowered at our space. But also remember to do this for yourself and nobody else. I promise that we’re here to support you along the way. We will love you and accept you with open arms, so take the leap. 🔥
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