Fans rise to Joey Swoll’s defense after he’s accused of racism and sexism
Twitter: TheJoeySwoll / Instagram: joeyswollThe “CEO of gym positivity,” Joey Swoll, was accused of racism and sexism, but his fans were having none of it and quickly jumped to his defense.
American bodybuilder and internet personality Joey Swoll uses his social media platform to speak out against bullying and judgment in the gym. His mission? “To change toxic gym culture through spreading compassion, community, and positivity.”
He is known for calling out other social media users for posting gym content that depicts disrespectful, entitled, or negative behavior.
However, one of his latest responses resulted in a slew of accusations being made against the bodybuilder, including that he was “fueled by white supremacy and sexism.”
It all started with Joey responding to a now-deleted TikTok posted by ‘fivestarcrystal’. The video showed Crystal lifting weights at the gym, with a voiceover complaining about a woman behind her in the shot.
“Just because you put your phone down to record yourself, grab some dumbells, do an exercise, doesn’t mean you get to claim any part of the gym that you want,” Joey said in his response. “Especially when you’re next to a machine or the cables.”
He went on to say that the appropriate reaction would have been for Crystal to “communicate with [the other woman] like an adult would,” rather than videoing the incident “just to get some likes and attention.”
While a majority of viewers were in support of Joey’s take, one particular person, ‘urbanlightpoet’, made it very clear that they were not, commenting in all capitals, “You came at a [black] female teenager as a grown man. Really?”
When Joey asked what the woman’s race or gender had to do with his response, the unimpressed commenter doubled down, stating, “You [are] irresponsible in this post, [teenagers are] taking themselves out [because] of [people] like you.”
Joey pointed out that the TikToker was, in fact, in college and not a teenager and that as an adult, she needed to be “respectful of others” when using a shared space.
Joey’s fans also jumped to his defense and called out urbanlightpoet, with one commenting, “You clearly have never watched any of Joey’s videos. He is 100% correct here… Stop the baiting. The woman in the video is completely wrong for her actions. Get over yourself.”
This prompted Joey to thank fans for their support on Twitter, writing, “I love our community. Thank you all for having my back. We are making a difference.”
Crystal has since posted another gym video, with many believing the sound used for the TikTok was a response to Joey’s criticism. Check out more of the latest entertainment news here.
