Los Angeles woman pays $30 for a yoga class. Then a man puts his mat down next to hers: ‘I would have left’
Yoga is often treated as a women-centered activity in the U.S., especially when it comes to studio culture. Walk past most yoga classes, and you’ll usually see a room full of women, which has helped create the idea that these spaces function as a kind of quiet, shared refuge.
Of course, men practice yoga too, and plenty of them teach it professionally. Still, expectations form over time, especially when a studio’s regular crowd looks the same week after week.
For one Los Angeles woman, that expectation was shattered the moment a man rolled his mat out beside hers. What she describes next has sparked a wider debate online about gendered spaces, comfort, and whether personal discomfort crosses into exclusion.
Woman Says Men Shouldn’t Attend Her Yoga Class
TikTok creator Sian Renee (@aqua.babe.s) posted a short video reacting to her experience in a yoga class, which has since drawn thousands of views and plenty of divided reactions. The clip got over 4,379 views.
In the video, Renee is blunt. “I don’t hate men, but I don’t think there’s a worse feeling than going to a yoga class and having a man put his mat next to yours,” she says.
She frames the issue as one of expectation and money, rather than outright hostility. “Like I didn’t pay $30 for this yoga class for a man to sweat next to me,” she says.
Commenters Are Split
Reactions in the comments section range from sarcasm to sympathy to confusion.
“What a wonderful personality you have,” one commenter wrote sarcastically.
Another viewer sided with Renee’s discomfort, saying, “I would have left and asked for a refund.”
Others offered context from their own experiences. “I attend a yoga class in New York City twice a week,” one person shared. “It’s usually me and about 10 ladies for the past 10 years. We socialize outside of our practice as well.”
Meanwhile, some commenters pushed the conversation further, questioning what the alternative should be. “So what should we do?” one user asked.
Women-Only Fitness Spaces Do Exist
For women who strongly prefer working out without men present, options do exist, particularly in large cities like Los Angeles. While general yoga studios operate as inclusive spaces open to everyone, there are studios and classes that intentionally cater to women.
Some gyms and wellness centers offer women-only yoga sessions, often labeled clearly on their schedules. These classes typically exist alongside mixed-gender options, giving people the ability to choose the environment that best fits their comfort level without excluding others from the broader space.
@aqua.babe.s #yogasculptclass ♬ original sound – Sian Renee
In California, anti-discrimination laws generally prevent businesses from denying service based on gender. That means a standard yoga class at a public studio can’t legally bar men from attending. However, studios can design specific programs, workshops, or sessions that center on women.
In other words, discomfort doesn’t have to turn into discrimination. Choice exists, but it usually requires seeking out the right space rather than expecting a shared one to change.
We’ve reached out to Renee via TikTok and Instagram message.
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