Meet Tiffany Crociani. She is highly advanced in yoga and recently caught the attention of over 7 million people after she shared a frustration she often experiences when attending yoga studios...
Tiffany shared the experience on TikTok, where she role-plays exactly what happened. She goes to a new yoga studio and checks in to a class for the first time. The front desk receptionist then asks her if she realizes it is a "more advanced class." Tiffany lets her know that is exactly why she wants to take the class — she is a yoga instructor and has been practicing for over 17 years.
The receptionist replies, saying, "We just don't see very many people with a larger body like yours so just keep in mind that if you think it's too hard, you can always rest in child's pose." The receptionist continues trying to persuade Tiffany not to take the class, telling her that she is just making sure they have the "right fit" for the class. The woman eventually checks Tiffany in (after hounding her about taking the easier class) but makes her check with the teacher beforehand to make sure the class won't be too difficult for her.
If this isn't all of us right now...
Tiffany went on to make a part two and three of her video, sharing what happened next. Tiffany talks to the yoga instructor, who explains that her body is bigger than people who normally take the class, and that's why the receptionist was concerned. And the instructor goes on to say, "Yeah, she is correct. You do have a body that is larger than what we normally see, and this class is more of higher intensity. Did she tell you about child's pose?"
Then the instructor has the audacity to say, "Just because you've been practicing for 17 years doesn't mean you've practiced every single day for 17 years." Tiffany then expresses her frustrations, nicely reassuring the instructor (AGAIN) that she IS capable of taking the class.
"I feel like I am in the right class, and it's really frustrating when a larger person comes into a yoga studio and they're met with all of this red tape. Like, your body is too big; we're concerned for you. I know my body better than anybody else, so it's kind of a weird statement for you to assume that I can't do a yoga practice because of the shape of my body," she says in the video.
The instructor then says they should "start over" and acts like she is happy Tiffany is taking the class. Tiffany stays and, in a follow-up video, explains how the class went. When she was in Savasana — the final resting post where you're supposed to get rid of distractions — the instructor literally DISTRACTS her to ask how she liked the class.
A lot of people in the comments admitted they are scared to even try yoga classes because they are scared to be judged by their bodies.
And even teachers admit they can't fit into clothes their own yoga studios sell.
Basically, everyone agreed that the body discrimination at yoga studios needs to stop.
