Burnt Orange Report

May 08, 2004

I'll have to tell my mother about this...

By Byron LaMasters

She's a member of Curves - a women's fitness chain, which also happens to be a large donor to militantly anti-abortion groups. Via, our favorite news source, FOX News:

With its 30-minute workouts, no men, no mirrors and no exorbitant membership fees, Curves International is the fastest growing fitness chain in America, helping more than 3 million women stay in shape. But in San Francisco, Curves is being called out over abortion because owner Gary Heavin donates millions of dollars to anti-abortion groups.

Ruth Rosen at The San Francisco Chronicle took issue with the pro-life, Christian businessman, writing in a recent op-ed piece that Heavin has given at least $5 million to some of the most militant anti-abortion groups in the country and Curves members who are pro-choice might want to take their business elsewhere.

Fair and Balanced FOX News, of course, goes on to question the assertion here, but others have looked into the political interests of Curves owner Gary Heavin. Here's what AlterNet found about the guy:

Heavin, like his next-door neighbor George W. Bush in Crawford, Texas, found redemption as a grown man. Before founding Curves in 1992, he went bankrupt, lost custody of his two children and served a six-month jail sentence for not paying child support. In prison, he became a born-again Christian.

In 2003, Heavin and his wife gave away $10 million – 10 percent of their company's gross revenues – to charities. At least half of that money went to three Texas organizations to fund "pregnancy crisis centers" supported by Operation Save America – the same organization that blamed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on God's retribution for abortions and whose purpose, as described on its Web site, is to "unashamedly take up the cause of pre-born children in the name of Jesus Christ."

By offering the same health services provided by Planned Parenthood – except abortion – anti-abortion activists hope that privately financed alternatives would force the closure of any clinics that don't insist "you must carry your child to term."

Anyway, the debate started with an op-ed piece in the San Francisco Chronicle by Ruth Rosen. She concludes her op-ed stating that Curves is a feminist dilemma. What should women do about Curves?

Here, then, is a feminist dilemma. Curves targets Baby Boomer women -- many of whom consider themselves feminists -- precisely because it offers a refuge from gyms that cater to musclemen or singles. Yet Heavin's contributions to anti-abortion groups goes against many women's deeply held belief that they should have the right to make their own reproductive choices.

What to do? Your decision. There are alternatives, including just plain walking.

We'll see what comes of it. I apologize if I've disappointed some women out there that may be Curves members, but I think that it's important for all of us to know where our money as consumers is going.

Posted by Byron LaMasters at May 8, 2004 08:12 PM | TrackBack

Comments

My mother is a member, and now I have to figure out if I should forward on to here this article. Thanks Byron. grrrrrrr

Posted by: Karl-T at May 8, 2004 11:37 PM

(I apologize wholeheartedly for pimping my own site but it would be far too long for me to recreate the discussion)

I opined about this last week and invited people to spread the word about anti-choice activism. Then, a woman came and posted at my site about a pro-choice alternative for Curves members -- but at the time I got a funny feeling about her site (which later abated, after more input). And then some woman in California got pissed that I would dare be skeptical, and was rude about Texans, so I was rude back.

ANYway, the point is that, after a few rounds of dialogue about Curves, where I am with it is that a woman who is pro-choice enough will quit her club.

Lots of women are responding with, "Well, the owner of MY club isn't anti-choice, so I don't have to do anything." But the $1,000 fund-matching that Heavin does for every club makes the link between one's own dues money and the anti-choice effort inextricable.

And if a woman is not pro-choice enough to quit, then she shouldn't -- but she should own that, and not make excuses for why she doesn't really have to quit to still be pro-choice.

A wise blogger named Lisa Schmeiser said, "Claiming that the franchises and Heavin have only the most casual of relationships, and Won't Someone Think Of The Franchisee? ignores the reality of the business relationship the franchisee elected to get into."

Wendy at Pound offers another great point of view on the subject.

Posted by: PG at May 9, 2004 06:23 PM

I found out about Curves at the March for Womens Lives in DC. I am actually at another gym, but honestly, I would quit if I found out the money was going to something like that. There ARE alternatives to the gym, and maybe women will explore them. Perhaps one of the women who quits will take the initiative and start her own club. Let's hope....

Posted by: Andrea M. at May 9, 2004 08:36 PM

Dominoe's Pizza is baadddd too.

Posted by: AustinGirl172 at May 11, 2004 10:55 AM

PG wrote:
"a woman who is pro-choice enough will quit her club."

"pro-choice enough"? Oh, that's a good one.

Pro-choice enough for what? By whose standards?
Yours? Thank you for appointing yourself the arbiter of pro-choice.

Posted by: Curver for Choice at May 11, 2004 11:00 AM

So many feminists are bullied into believing that they should be "pro-choice". Feminism means understanding biology enough to realize that sperm + egg could ultimately mean offspring. Let's stop fooling ourselves. How many STDs do we women need to tell ourselves to start becoming responsible? I thought the 70s were over!

I love Curves because it allows me to work on my health and my self image without worrying about what others think. I am proud to find out that the owner tithes. He and his wife have decided what is important to them and have put their money into it.

Posted by: MyOwnBestFriend at May 24, 2004 11:55 PM

Obviously, I am pro-choice. I am also well aware of the owner of Curve's choice to give money to organizations that completely devalue what I believe in, in a serious way. To be honest, I have been obese for many years and I have tried other gyms...and frankly, this is the only one i have ever lost weight at. Part of me does feel like I gave in, while another part of me is frustrated by being obese (not blindly skinny, but actually medically obese) and not finding anything comparable. If anyone thinks they have the answer, I would love to hear it...but may I just say that I have been to many gyms, I have worked out on my own and I have been pro-choice my whole life...but now I need to be pro-my-health and it is hard to turn down something that has so far been the only real help.

Posted by: abortion clinic worker at May 24, 2005 08:45 PM

News, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas

May 08, 2004

I'll have to tell my mother about this...

By Byron LaMasters