I am graduating from Colorado Mesa University in December, so I have been a student for 4 and half years. I have been going to the Hamilton Recreation Center since I started at CMU.

I always saw the dress code sign as you walk in, and you get your mavcard swiped in but I never paid attention to it. Like most students. I wouldn’t wear a crop-top every time I worked out, but I would wear it sometimes. And I would see other girls wear them. 

Not to mention, guys wearing those tank tops, that completely show their nipples and some people not even wearing footwear when they lift.

I have not once seen an employee tell someone to change or ask them to leave in the 4 and half years I have been here. I have talked to other students and friends and they agree with me. 

That was until last week. I went to the gym super early in the morning. I had my headphones in, my music was on really loud and the pre-workout just started to kick in. As I handed my mavcard to the employee to swipe me in, she asked me if I am going to workout. In my head, I thought “well of course I am, look what I am wearing?!”

I responded yes, and she asked me to leave, go change and come back because my shirt was showing a little bit of my stomach. I was outraged. I always wore that top when I worked out. There was never a problem and I was definitely never asked to leave.

To be honest, I was mad about it all day long. Until I talked to my Editor in Chief Chris DeLeon, who is a trainer at the rec center. He told me the employees should always be enforcing the rules of the dress code and that employee was totally doing her job. 

I understood, after talking to Chris. I agree that we should have a dress code at the gym. But the employees need to enforce it 100 percent of the time or they will be having some very mad students from now on if they don’t. Students can and will understand, but only if it is continually enforced.