Clay Equity and Inclusion Policy Statement:

At Clay Fitness LLC, we strongly believe in the fundamental equality, worthiness, value and beauty of all people.  We affirm the right of everyone to feel safe, supported, accepted and embraced, not in spite of but because of their unique qualities and traits.  We believe that our differences are what make us special, what make our society stronger, and what make our world a more glorious place to live.  We celebrate all bodies – no matter the size, shape, age, ability, color or gender.  Every body is a miracle, and everybody deserves a place they can go safely to get support in keeping their body healthy, strong and fit without fear of judgement.  Clay strives to be that place.  Our commitment:

• We will treat all clients and staff with dignity and respect.  
• We will use your preferred name and pronouns, and we will apologize if we get it wrong. 
• We will listen respectfully (and non-defensively) to anyone who feels they are not being supported, and make every attempt to right any issues that are brought to our attention. Mistakes and missteps are bound to happen, but we will do our best to correct them as quickly as possible, apologize when necessary.  We welcome any feedback that helps us to better serve you.
• We will work to foster an environment that encourages open and honest conversations, centering the voices and experiences of marginalized people with the intent of learning and bettering ourselves, and creating a truly supportive space for anyone who chooses to enter it.
• We will educate ourselves about how to best support all of our clients and staff, but most especially those that belong to vulnerable populations. 
• We will strive to provide non-gendered spaces (such as bathrooms), but we will also defer to clients’ gender identity without requiring IDs or documentation (unless required by law).
• We will never try to convince you that there is something wrong with your body, but will attempt to help you along your fitness journey in a way that affirms your inherent worth and value.
• We will not tolerate transphobic, homophobic, racist, sexist, ableist, fat phobic, ageist or xenophobic words or behaviors from any clients or staff.  In the face of any comments or microaggressions witnessed or reported to us, we will work to educate the person who perpetrated the hurtful behavior.  We will never discriminate against any member of our community because we were asked to do so (by a client, staff, or other person in our space.) We will speak up regarding our commitment to inclusion and equity.
• We are a very small business, and do not often hire, but when we do, we will joyfully welcome applications from anyone who has the required skills and knowledge, and shares our commitment to body positivity, helping everyone pursue health, and creating a loving, supportive, positive environment for our community.  We will never discriminate against any applicant based on age, gender identity, sexual identity, race, religion, class, sex, marital status, familial status, color, ethnicity, country of origin, or body size.  We will always allow staff to freely express their gender identity at work, using whatever name, pronouns, and professional clothing that make them most comfortable.