Curves is anti-choice? -- OH NO! The weird, Jesus-y vibe I've gotten from the promotional materials at my Curves gym apparently leads right to the top. (It's a Salon article -- watch the ad to read the whole thing.) The founder, Gary Heavin, is a born-again Christian, and there's some controversy over the types of "women's health organizations" he donates money to -- some are neighborhood health care facilities in Texas with religious overtones, some promote "abstinence-only" sex "education" for teens. I love the Curves workout, and my local franchise owner is just that: local. She and the other members are a diverse lot, in age, fitness level, and surely politics as well. But where is my $39 a month going? It seems that the politics of the founder might not be so militant after all, and Curves is still the biggest franchise business in the world, offering thousands of women not only better fitness but the opportunity to run their own business. Maybe a compromise is Curvers For Choice, a grassroots website for Curves women to donate to pro-choice causes in the name of Curves and Mr. Heavin. Or, um, maybe not. Whew -- and I thought the squat machine was tough...