Gym owners comments about women in workout bikinis backfires after trend takes off on TikTok

How little is too little when it comes to clothes at the gym?That’s the question an Irish gym owner was debating during a recent radio appearance, and it’s fair to say, his remarks haven’t gone down well with women.Paul Byrne, the owner of an “exclusive” training center in Dublin, appeared on a local radio segment discussing an article written by a 60-year-old man, titled: “I’m in the gym with semi-clad young women.Where do I look?”The piece, penned by Robert Crampton for The Times, argued that modern gym attire favored by young women often leaves men feeling as if they have “wandered into the girls’ changing room by mistake.”Byrne took the argument even further, stating women’s workout clothes are now so tiny, they’re akin to bikinis – and his remarks have left many furious.“It was never really an issue up until the last few years, when social media came in and a lot of people are filming themselves, the scanty clothing has boomed,” he told Newstalk’s “Lunchtime Live” with Andrea Gilligan.“We have a lot of young girls practically wearing bikinis when they work out now.”When the host questioned, “not actual bikinis though?,” Byrne responded by clarifying “no” and described the popular crop top and short combo as “workout bikinis.”“It can be very intimidating for people in the gym,” he claimed.“It’s practically narcissistic, if someone has a great six-pack and young girls have amazingly shaped bodies that they are showing off basically, they should cover up a little bit you know.”His remarks weren’t well received, particularly by women, with many responding to Byrne by sharing the audio of his interview alongside videos of themselves working out in their “gym bikinis.”“On my way to the gym, hope I’m intimidating any creepy men with my bikini,” one young woman, wearing a blue sports bra and pants set, wrote on TikTok.“Making sure I have my tiniest skimpiest most intimidating gym bikini ...