Vegan Gym to Bulk Up Portland’s Plant-Based Scene

Vegan gym Liberation Barbell will open its doors in Portland, OR this April. Co-founder Lacy Davis has been vegan for 19 years and a feminist-minded, “every size” personal trainer since 2013. The concept for the gym came after Davis used weight-lifting as a way to attain a positive body image after overcoming an eating disorder. The space will be an open environment for people who may feel uncomfortable or misunderstood in traditional gym settings. “I felt passionately that queer people, trans people, fat people, vegans, feminists, nerds, punks, and other weirdos deserved the very same access that I had carved out for myself,” Davis tells VegNews. “The fitness industry is all about whey protein, chicken breasts, and egg whites and I do not believe you need to eat those to see strength gains,” the trainer adds. To further cultivate a compassionate space, Davis and co-founder Christina Cabrales assure that Liberation Barbell will “not be selling non-vegan supplements, snacks, or advice.”