Socialism 2026 Conference speaker labels fitness as fascist

At the Socialism 2026 Conference in Chicago, speaker Beatrice Adler-Bolton argued that physical fitness should be rejected by socialists. Adler-Bolton claimed that fitness serves as a measure of relative disposability under capitalism and that pursuing health and strength risks making individuals more useful to the ruling order.

During her presentation, Adler-Bolton suggested that socialists should avoid attempting to defeat political opponents by becoming fitter, stating that the concept of optimized bodies can be viewed as fascist. She further remarked, “In fact, the more dysgenic, the better, I think,” suggesting that physical decline could be viewed as a form of ideological resistance against capitalism.