Yeah fuck gym class. I actually think it's super important for kids to be active but the way it's implemented, especially at the junior high and high school levels, is asinine. And your situation sucked, what a stupid amount of bullshit!
I was a habitual skipper of gym class from about grade 2 until I graduated high school. I'd only participate enough to get a D, and some marking periods I misjudged and got an F. The only times I didn't try to skip were when we had the weight room, because I actually liked that. But failing gym class had exactly zero impact on anything in my life. My dad gave me the whole "I'd be disappointed in you, but I've learned not to have expectations so you can't disappoint me" schpiel, which whatever, emotional manipulation was my parents' bread and butter, so I didn't really care. Other than that, no repercussions at all.
Yup, we didn't bother with rings either. I wanted to retire but needed health insurance, so we decided to finally get married after being together for 22 years. We kept it as minimal as we could. No ceremony (in Pennsylvania you can self-unite thanks to the Quakers), no rings, no name change, no fuss. Nothing changed which is exactly what we wanted!
Classic Rock. Civil rights. Moon landing. Birth control and abortion. Counterculture and peaceful protests making it OK to be a dissident. Making pants way more commonplace for women. And mid-century modern design.
I know it's trendy to hate on boomers, and a lot of them are out of touch and have gotten more close-minded as they've aged, but there was a lot of good that could be laid at their feet as well.
Everything in moderation.