by Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN
The fitness world is supposed to be a place where everyone feels included. A space where hard work and dedication matter more than skin color. But recently, R Studios (a Halifax gym) found itself in the middle of a national controversy after rolling out a race-based pricing policy that many called discriminatory.
To be honest, when I first heard of this, I thought there was no way possible that this was legit. Who would come up with such a business model that was so blatantly racist? The more I dug into it, the more shocked I became.
While not here in the United States, R Studios is a Canadian gym with five locations across Nova Scotia. What started as an attempt to promote inclusion quickly spiraled into accusations of racism and violations of human rights laws.
In this article, we are going to unpack exactly what took place and what R Studios has done since the backlash.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition plan, or adding any new supplements into your current regimen.
The R Studios Controversy That Sparked It All
The issue came to light after Canadian veteran and People’s Party of Canada candidate Jeff Evely shared screenshots on social media showing R Studios’ pricing structure.
According to those images, white customers were charged $30 for a drop-in class, while Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) clients were charged only $15.
Evely called out the gym on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the policy appeared to violate the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act, which clearly prohibits discrimination based on race. Section five of the Act makes it illegal for a business to treat customers differently because of their race or ethnicity.
Within hours, the post gained massive traction, sparking a public outcry. Many accused the gym of practicing the very thing it claimed to fight against — discrimination.
The Gym’s Response
After facing heavy criticism, R Studios quickly removed the race-based pricing from its website and issued a statement on social media to explain its intentions. Many would call this “damage control.”
The gym said the discounted rate was designed by its BIPOC team and IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) Committee “to foster diversity and inclusion” in an industry they described as “predominantly white and often inaccessible.”
In their statement, R Studios wrote, “We have taken pride in being leaders who actively promote diversity through our hiring practices, in-studio equity and inclusion training, and the creation of our IDEA Committee.”
The gym went on to say the discounted rate came “from a place of compassion,” but acknowledged that “it has been interpreted by some as exclusive.”
Following the backlash, R Studios announced plans to launch a new fund aimed at helping those facing “financial or systemic barriers” gain access to memberships — a move seemingly designed to achieve inclusion without crossing legal lines.
When Good Intentions Go Wrong
There’s no doubt that inclusion and diversity are important in the fitness world. Gyms should be safe and welcoming spaces for everyone (regardless of race, gender, or background). But there’s a fine line between promoting inclusion and engaging in discrimination.
R Studios may have meant well, but offering cheaper rates to some people solely based on skin color sends the wrong message. It suggests that equality can be achieved by treating people unequally (and that’s where things fall apart).
Even when an idea comes “from a place of compassion,” as R Studios put it, the law doesn’t bend based on good intentions. The Nova Scotia Human Rights Act is clear: discrimination in any form, even if meant to help, is still discrimination.
The Bigger Picture
What’s interesting is how this incident reflects a broader cultural shift. Many businesses today are under pressure to demonstrate social awareness and inclusivity. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But sometimes, in trying to do the “right thing,” they end up creating division instead of unity.
R Studios likely thought a discounted rate for BIPOC clients would help make fitness more accessible. Instead, the move created backlash, divided its community, and potentially hurt the brand’s reputation.
It’s a lesson not just for this gym, but for the entire fitness industry. Inclusivity should be about removing barriers for everyone and not creating new ones based on race, gender, or any other personal factor.
Moving Forward
To its credit, R Studios seems to recognize the mistake and is working to make things right. Are they doing it because they were caught, or do they truly understand that what they were doing was wrong?
Launching a fund to help people with genuine financial barriers is a much more effective (and legal) way to promote accessibility.
Hopefully, this controversy will push other fitness businesses to think more carefully about how they approach diversity. Supporting underrepresented groups doesn’t require separating people into categories or assigning different values based on race.
True inclusivity means everyone gets the same opportunity to better themselves, regardless of who they are or where they come from.
Can R Studios Save Their Business?
The situation with R Studios is a painful situation that businesses need to understand when trying to navigate a complex social landscape. Good intentions don’t automatically make a policy right.
In the end, fitness should unite people (not divide them). Whether you’re black, white, or any shade in between, the price of self-improvement should be the same.
If there’s one takeaway from this mess, it’s that equality isn’t about giving one group special treatment. It’s about treating everyone fairly. And that’s something every gym, including R Studios, should strive for.
