Harvard bans men from gym during designated hours

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

BOSTON - In a test of Harvard's famed open-mindedness, the university has banned men from one of its gyms for a few hours a week to accommodate Muslim women who say it offends their sense of modesty to exercise in front of the opposite sex.

...

"I think that it's incorrect in a college setting to institute a policy in which half of the campus gets wronged or denied a resource that's supposed to be for everyone," said student Lucy Caldwell, who also wrote a column in The Harvard Crimson newspaper critical of the new hours.

Student Ola Aljawhary, who is Muslim and works out elsewhere on campus but is not one of the women who requested the change, rejected that argument.

"The majority should be willing to compromise," she said. "I think that's just basic courtesy. We must show tolerance and respect for all others."

...

No men are allowed in the gym between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Mondays, and between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Even the staff during those times is all women.

The special hours allow the Muslim women, who adhere to traditional dress codes by covering their hair and most of their skin while in public, to dress more appropriately for exercising, said Susan Marine, director of the women's center.

"It's a pretty big breach of their moral and religious code for a man to see them with their hair uncovered and it's just not possible for them to be in a mixed environment," she said.

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An Associated Press reporter who went to the gym Monday did not see any Muslim women entering. Efforts to reach some of the women who requested the policy through the Women's Center were unsuccessful.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080304/ap_on_...d_women_s_hours

[Jenn! 918]

They should also have men-only hours. I bet there are people who would appreciate these new accommodations even for non-religious reasons.

[Peikko 1,575]

I don't think segregation is either a good idea or grounded in any reasonable rationale. There are plenty of modern fabrics that make it perfectly possible to dress in a 'modest' way during exercise. It's retrograde and why women feel this is a good thing is beyond me.

[msu17 0]

Why can't they just have a ladies only area in the gym? At least on of the gyms on my campus I believe had that. That way men aren't restricted to the hours when they can work out, and women can work out in private, regardless of religion.

[sereia 0]

Ridiculous IMHO.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

They should also have men-only hours. I bet there are people who would appreciate these new accommodations even for non-religious reasons.

I agree.

[Amby 490]

#######? join curves! at the YMCA here they have a special area for women only inside the women's lockeroom. there are a few bikes, free weights, treadmills and a tv

[britty 1]

Not acceptable. Why should one group be favored over another? What if a guy can only attend the gym between 3 and 5pm on Mondays? The student stating that there should be tolerance and respect for others, has shown neither to the male patrons of the gym. As someone else said earlier, there is plenty of appropriate clothing that can be worn in the gym by the Muslim women.

[Jason-Sasha 1]

I say, if you choose to live with those religious beliefs, then you should be the one sacrificing. Why does everyone else have to sacrifice to satisfy your beliefs? Living as a Muslim woman is YOUR choice. Choose another gym. Suck it up and go to women's gym. We're all becoming the soft, wuss-like nation that George Carlin has been warning about for decades. This is just bull$hit. It disgusts me. Really really ridiculous! Go to a Muslim nation and see how accomodating they are to christians, jews, etc. We should not be bending backwards to satisfy them in this way. Welcome to America, now please remove your headgear for your identification photo!

What do you expect from a bleeding liberal college?

Edited March 5, 2008 by Jason-Sasha

[Alex+R 0]

I am all for accommodating people who have disabilities or other things that aren't their fault that keep them from enjoying things others enjoy.

If you want to believe some man in the sky is telling you to do something, that's your problem. This is a secular country (or should be). I don't want Christians accommodated either, by the way.

However, I am for women-only gyms/gym areas because women really need to have the option to work out away from men. We have a million reasons to want that.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

However, I am for women-only gyms/gym areas because women really need to have the option to work out away from men. We have a million reasons to want that.

Can we have a few men-only institutions too?

Would that be ok?

[Alex+R 0]

However, I am for women-only gyms/gym areas because women really need to have the option to work out away from men. We have a million reasons to want that.

Can we have a few men-only institutions too?

Would that be ok?

Do men feel uncomfortable working out in front of women? If so (and I can certainly imagine that would be the case for some men) then yes, I think segregated gym spaces might be nice. However, you have to remember that one reason women want women-only gym spaces is so they can sweat in tight and/or revealing clothes without being ogled. Men don't really have that problem, since y'all look narsty when you work out.

[Jason-Sasha 1]

I am all for accommodating people who have disabilities or other things that aren't their fault that keep them from enjoying things others enjoy.

If you want to believe some man in the sky is telling you to do something, that's your problem. This is a secular country (or should be). I don't want Christians accommodated either, by the way.

However, I am for women-only gyms/gym areas because women really need to have the option to work out away from men. We have a million reasons to want that.

Totally agree. Your belief, your problem. Keep everyone else out of it. Work out at home in your totally covered body. If these women were using the gym while nude, it would be a different story. but if they are covered like traditional Muslim women, who do they think will bother with them? Oh no, can't allow men to see us wearing a scuba suit and using a stair master! that would be sooo horrible.

[Peikko 1,575]

Private gyms can choose whatever demographic they like and those who join the gym can do so on that basis. I am guessing this is not a private gym that just happens to be on the campus?

Personally, I couldn't care less who's in the gym when I work out, I'm there to work out end of story.

[Alex+R 0]

I am all for accommodating people who have disabilities or other things that aren't their fault that keep them from enjoying things others enjoy.

If you want to believe some man in the sky is telling you to do something, that's your problem. This is a secular country (or should be). I don't want Christians accommodated either, by the way.

However, I am for women-only gyms/gym areas because women really need to have the option to work out away from men. We have a million reasons to want that.

Totally agree. Your belief, your problem. Keep everyone else out of it. Work out at home in your totally covered body. If these women were using the gym while nude, it would be a different story. but if they are covered like traditional Muslim women, who do they think will bother with them? Oh no, can't allow men to see us wearing a scuba suit and using a stair master! that would be sooo horrible.

In all fairness, they probably want to uncover when they work out, which is why they need to be around only other women.