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Harvard gym tests Muslim women-only hours

4K views 242 replies 56 participants last post by  Aura_Kitten 
#1 ·
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23470304/

Quote:
BOSTON - Harvard University has banned men from one of its gyms for a few hours a week, a move to accommodate Muslim women who, for religious and cultural reasons, cannot exercise comfortably in their presence.

The policy is already unpopular with many on campus, however, including some women who consider it sexist.
Well what do you think?
 
#3 ·
It's hard to go all the way.. expensive, requires space and land, which we can't make more of. It sounds like there are other gyms available at those times with similar or identical accomodations so if a man really wants to exercise in that time slot he can... just not there.

I think it's a good idea and I suspect that most people who object do so because they think the Muslim women should "get liberated" and want something else.
 
#4 ·
I think its a good idea. However, I am not Muslim and don't know alot about their customs (is that the word I'm looking for?). But I do know about the mixed company/hair covering etc.
 
#6 ·
I think it's a good idea.. but I think it's wrong to portray it as only appealing to Muslim women. Many women prefer to work out in only women gyms... look at the success of Curves. Other religions preach modesty as well. So that's what bugs me about the way this is being framed.
 
#7 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by umsami View Post
I think it's a good idea.. but I think it's wrong to portray it as only appealing to Muslim women. Many women prefer to work out in only women gyms... look at the success of Curves. Other religions preach modesty as well. So that's what bugs me about the way this is being framed.
My thoughts exactly. I've seen the effort to establish women-only hours in gyms, pools, etc, span demographics from the most religiously conservative to the most radically feminist to simply "ordinary" women who are more comfortable in such settings when they're segregated.
 
#8 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by umsami View Post
I think it's a good idea.. but I think it's wrong to portray it as only appealing to Muslim women. Many women prefer to work out in only women gyms... look at the success of Curves. Other religions preach modesty as well. .

I agree, can they make it just all "all women" time... not just "Muslim women time" So any women can show up and exercise and use the gym.
 
#9 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by umsami View Post
I think it's a good idea.. but I think it's wrong to portray it as only appealing to Muslim women. Many women prefer to work out in only women gyms... look at the success of Curves. Other religions preach modesty as well. So that's what bugs me about the way this is being framed.
I agree.
 
#11 ·
If this was in Saudi Arabia, I wouldn't have a problem with it, since keeping the sexes segregated is part of the local culture. I don't agree with doing it in this country, however, because it is counter to prevailing customs.

I work out at a campus facility at my local university (and alma mater), and I would be really unhappy if I was barred from using it, even if only for a few hours a week. It's hard enough to fit it in my schedule as it is, without having the hours cut back even more.
 
#12 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Hilary Briss View Post
If this was in Saudi Arabia, I wouldn't have a problem with it, since keeping the sexes segregated is part of the local culture. I don't agree with doing it in this country, however, because it is counter to prevailing customs.

I work out at a campus facility at my local university (and alma mater), and I would be really unhappy if I was barred from using it, even if only for a few hours a week. It's hard enough to fit it in my schedule as it is, without having the hours cut back even more.
To whose prevailing custom? Obviously there are enough muslim women there to warrant this action so local custom is allowing seperate workout times.

I understand it being difficult to juggle schedules, but do you believe your discomfort in being limited in times you are able to go would / should supersede the discomfort of a woman who without this new policy would never be comfortable going?
 
#14 ·
I'd certainly go. I'm not too comfortable working out in front of men...I can, but if I had a choice, I'd rather not. Kinda weird since my trainer is a man and to be honest, it is weird for me. Many gyms here are women only or have women only hours.
 
#15 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Hilary Briss View Post
If this was in Saudi Arabia, I wouldn't have a problem with it, since keeping the sexes segregated is part of the local culture. I don't agree with doing it in this country, however, because it is counter to prevailing customs.

I work out at a campus facility at my local university (and alma mater), and I would be really unhappy if I was barred from using it, even if only for a few hours a week. It's hard enough to fit it in my schedule as it is, without having the hours cut back even more.
It is local culture to separate men and women's gym in this country. Hence the existence of Curves and Lucille Roberts. I've been to a few YMCAs that have a women's only gym as well.

This is not inconveniencing any men. The article states it's one of MANY gyms on the campus and the least one at that.
 
#16 ·
I think if it's available for women of all religions then it's good. I don't feel very comfortable working out in front of men. Funny enough I live in a Muslim country (though it is very open) and we have men/women gyms. I'm not 100% sure if they work out side by side or not or if they have a special ladies section though. From what I've seen of them by looking in - it didn't appear to be like that. But we also have ladies clubs here as well. We even have one with an ice rink, a private beach, etc only for ladies. I think you are allowed to bring young male children though.
 
#19 ·
As a Jewish woman, I'm not comfortable exercising in front of men. I wouldn't want to wear pants or uncover my hair in mixed company.

I know that many JCCs (Jewish Community Centers) offer separate swimming hours in addition to mixed swimming times. Women don't want to wear bathing suits in front of men, and religious men don't want to swim in the company of women immodestly dressed (modest bathing suits for men are much easier to come by- long trunks and a rashguard.)

In the specific instance of this gym, I don't know if the Muslim (or religious individuals of other faiths) men had a problem exercising in front of women. There may not have been a need for "men's only" times to accomodate those men.

Quote:
"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.
OK, but by NOT instituting the women-only hours, they're excluding all religious Muslim and Jewish women from using this resource at all. And it's only a few hours a week- it's not like they're taking over the gym permenantly.
 
#20 ·
As long as it's just women only hours (and not *Muslim* women only hours) I don't see a problem. I'm not Muslim and I'm not comfortable working out with men around for myriad reasons. I see nothing wrong with a gym setting aside a few hours so that women can work out without the presence of men.
 
#21 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by CherryBomb View Post
As long as it's just women only hours (and not *Muslim* women only hours) I don't see a problem. I'm not Muslim and I'm not comfortable working out with men around for myriad reasons. I see nothing wrong with a gym setting aside a few hours so that women can work out without the presence of men.
Me too- I am not comfortable working out with men present either so I hope this is open to *all* women and not just Muslim women.
 
#22 ·
My school sectioned off 1/4 off the main recreation and fitness facility with 8 foot brick walls and made it women only. All the time. The janitorial staff that services the area is even all female, as are the instructors that teach fitness classed several times weekly in that area. I never thought twice about it. While the area is open to all women, as is the gym in the article, mostly Muslimas utilize it.

I don't see where the controversy is. The gym is the campus's least used, and only closed to men six out of seventy hours. There are other facilities. The Muslim angle was only singled out to stir things up. This is not news.
 
#23 ·
I think we Christians sold ourselves short by going totally co-ed, personally, and am glad that we are starting to have things like this again. Absolutely support it and wish that more public swimming and exercise areas had women-only hours, regardless of whether there are Muslims there.
 
#25 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Hilary Briss View Post
This is absolutely ridiculous. Would women be happy if the reverse was true, if the gym was closed off to women for a few hours a week? I doubt it. This is another case of PC running amuck.
Whether it's co-ed or men only, it's still unavailable to me and other women who follow religious rules of modesty. Do you understand this point?

It's not about "PC running amok". It's about women, due to religious observance, being unable to use the facilities at all! The school is trying to accomodate them by giving them use of ONE gym (of many on campus) for 6 hours a week. They're not making one gym "women's only" all the time, and they're not doing this with the only gym on campus.

I would have absolutely no problem with the existence of men-only gym time. It wouldn't affect me at all. If it's not being done on the Harvard campus right now, it's because there hasn't been any request for that.
 
#26 ·
Quote:
Would women be happy if the reverse was true, if the gym was closed off to women for a few hours a week? I doubt it. This is another case of PC running amuck.
I completely would support it. I'm sure there are men who don't want to work out in front of women (probably those men who are most in need of exercise). I think it would be great.

Quote:
Whether it's co-ed or men only, it's still unavailable to me and other women who follow religious rules of modesty. Do you understand this point?
Yes, this is a key point. Right now, these women do not have a gym or any place on campus to exercise. So it is not equal.
 
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