Following is a part of the story from the Daily Free Press (a Harvard student newspaper).
Harvard University has moved to make Muslim women more comfortable in the gym by instituting women-only access times six hours a week to accommodate religious customs that make it difficult for some students to work out in the presence of men.
Men have not been allowed to enter the Quadrangle Recreational Athletic Center during certain times since Jan. 28, after members of the Harvard Islamic Society and the Harvard Women's Center petitioned the university for a more comfortable environment for women.
Harvard Islamic Society's Islamic Knowledge Committee officer Ola Aljawhary, a junior, said the women-only hours are being tested on a trial basis. The special gym hours will be analyzed over Spring Break to determine if they will continue, she said.
Aljawhary said that she does not believe that the women-only gym hours discriminate against men.
"These hours are necessary because there is a segment of the Harvard female population that is not found in gyms not because they don't want to work out, but because for them working out in a co-ed gym is uncomfortable, awkward or problematic in some way," she said.
Though the policy was in part initiated by the school's Islamic group, Aljawhary said women-only hours are not a case of "minority rights trumping majority preference" and said women of different faiths have showed interest in the hours.
"We live together in one community, it only makes sense for everyone to compromise slightly in order for everyone to live happily," she said. "This matter is simple: Can't we just display basic decency and show tolerance and inclusion for people not a part of the mainstream majority?"
Accommodating people based on religious beliefs is something colleges have done for years. Anyone who has taken a class in recent years has read the disclaimer on every college syllabus that states accommodations for classes/test will be made if there is a conflict with a religious holiday/celebration. This is no different, or is it?
What this policy does is discriminate against a segment of the population (men) in order to accommodate a very small (6 women) minority. Last I checked, tuition and fees were the same at Harvard for men and for women - shouldn't it be reasonable to assume that services should be the same for men and for women?
What if I am a member of the Christian Identity Movement and and using the gym with black people makes me feel "uncomfortable" or "awkward." Will the gym institute "White-only" gym hours? No? You say that would be discriminatory?
Since when is separate but equal in style again?
Just something to think about ...
30 comments:
Sometimes it just goes to far doesn't it. I am all for equallity and fairness but some times here in the UK I am descriminated for being White and English ....
Anyway enough of that lets talk fetishes he he he
Nicey, I'm afraid your experience might not be much different here in the U.S.
... and have no fear, HNT is tomorrow and I think I might just have a fetish pic some of you might enjoy!
We will have to find a balance for all this soon, everything that accommodates costs more money...
Buff, unfortunately the cost in dollars is far less than the cost to our society.
I would have never been offended by that, but I totally see your point. I live on the cusp of area with a very high Muslim population and I have lots of personal opinions (many of which would be considered racist) about the Muslim population. However, with religion, it has always been sparate but equal. Muslims can leave an exam to observe their prayers. Jews can take SATS or other stadarized tests that are given on their sabbath on different days.
We all know it is acceptable to dicriminate against White, Chritian, Men anyway....LOL.
I cant stand political correctness
When in Rome do as the Romans; when at Harvard do as the Harvardites.
Suck it up ladies and use the gym like everyone else or do jumping jacks in your Dorm room. Cheers!!
these fucking people kill me.
segregation?
I wonder how these people vote?
I mean what party do they mostly represent?
uh huh
idiots
It bothers me to go to the gym and see women in clothes.
I by god want a naked women gym time.
You see, I think this is a crock of shit. If they're uncomfortable around men, let them go to a gym specifically for women only. It's called CURVES and there are probably others.
I'm so tired of people thinking that everyone else should bend over backwards for them.
Karen, I think what I find so disturbing about this story is that people are not outraged by the clear discriminatory practice. It would be one thing if they offered Men-only gym time at another facility on campus, but they don't.
DB, political correctness (or what I call caterting to special interest) needs to swing in the other direction.
Matt-Man, what I really wanted to say in my post was "assimilate or move the fuck on," but I thought that might be just a tad offensive.
SS, let's hope they are just here on a student VISA and that they don't vote. That would make me feel much better.
Leighann, well, that's the direction this country has moved in. Can't blame them for using our own system against us now, can you??
Ya know, I was going to ask the same thing, "What if they made it a "white-only" time, or "black-only" time. If they can't do it for one segment, why do it for any club, group, or whatever, if you don't do it for ALL of them?
I think this is a tough issue to address.
I mean, I can see their religion makes them uncomfortable wearing proper gym clothes around men... but I don't think the gyms need to accomodate their needs either.
The way I see it - if you move to a specific country - get accustomed to how things work there...
But, this is a religious isssue... so it complicates things.
Bina, what's even more amazing is that this modification was done to accomodate SIX students - with a total enrollment for the 2006-2007 school year of 20,042, that is less than .03% of the student population!
Gyms all across the country have women only areas. Even both of the gyms here in my little town have women only areas.
The idea is that women can go to the gym and work out and not be harassed by men. No men sitting on the stationary bike leering at them. No men coming over to them and hitting on them while they're trying to work out. Stuff like that.
Nobody's ever complained that I know of. The request by these women is based on their religious belief that they should not be exposing any part of their body to men in public in this manner. Seems fair to me.
Also remember that this isn't a "Muslims only" area, it's a "women only" area. Non-Muslim women would have the same access to the area too.
Now that I think about it, the MASSIVE student gym at the UofA where I went to school has a women only area too.
Aaaaaaaaaand lets not forget that a group of Mormons asked a gym in Salt Lake City to cover the windows of the aerobics area because Mormon women didn't want to be in front of men while they were wearing work out clothing and the gym complied. This was just a couple of weeks ago.
This just isn't all that uncommon. People are reacting the way they are simply because of the word "Muslim."
R.E.H., my example was a religious issue as well (Christian Identity Movement) but the discrimination would have been based on race rather than gender. Somehow I don't think that would have flown.
Jay, the difference is that this wasn't an issue of a women-only AREA, but restriction of the facility to anyone other than women. A women-only AREA? Not a problem. Closing a facility to everyone but women, be they Muslim, Catholic or Church of Divas? That's a problem!
I don't know Jay, personally I don't care what religion it is. If you don't want to work out with men, fine, don't. There are gyms specifically geared for women only.
I think that people need to stop using their religion as a CRUTCH.
I could care less what people believe, follow, practice.... to each their own. But they (and no one) should expect everyone around then to cater to their beliefs.
Certainly is something to think about.
It would piss me off if the hours they chose to close the gym to men affected me. Build them their own damn gym and be done with it. Besides, that college rakes in plenty of money.
Leighann, just for the fun of it I did a quick search on google maps and found 7 women-only gyms within a 5 mile radius of campus.
Casdok, that it is!
Corky, I agree!
Yeesh... We are gonna end up political correcting ourselves to death...
Coming from the most politically correct university in the universe, Berkeley, I was always amazed at how they lauded their diversity in their catalog. Nice in theory, eh?
However, when it came down to it, that university had the most socially segregated, close minded students I had ever encountered. Race-consciousness was everywhere.
There were hundreds of racially-based clubs: Chinese-American club, Laotian-American club, Chicanas for peace, blah, blah. You know if someone started a caucasian club, there would have been protests.
I mentioned this hypocrisy to my very politically active, very liberal roommates, one of which had a full-ride as a non-citizen of illegal parents from Peru that regularly got c's and f's and was provided fully-funded tutoring. She by the way thought America sucked, even though it was giving her a world-class education - gratis!
She said that's what frats are for, yet none of the frats could exclude people of color. They could exclude white people though. There were a ton of African-American only frats at the school.
Luckily, the UC Regents and California voters said no more race-based admissions when I was there, but it was over-turned by activist judges. I have no idea where it stands now.
So, where does that leave us? Whether we are talking race, gender or religion, none of those qualities allow you to step on others. What's next? Will Mormons and Muslims ask for alcohol not to be served in restaurants because it offends them? Will movie theaters become segregated by gender because Muslim women feel uncomfortable sitting so close to other men? My thoughts, if you have the problem, go somewhere else. I don't think religious beliefs need to be accomodated at the cost to others.
This country is wonderful because you have choices. BUT! Those choices have consequences. You shouldn't be able to say I want vanilla, so everybody must have vanilla when I am around. You must accept the consequences. Maybe the Harvard gym is not for you if you feel uncomfortable?
True story, my daughter is close friends with a Mormon girl. Another classmate fell at recess and shouted, "Ouch. Oh My God." An honest reaction I think. I myself might have used stornger words.
The Mormon child stated that using the word God offended her and he was not allowed to use that word. Excuse me? She already has trained my daughter not to use that word around her.
Where does it say in the constitution that your religious beliefs trumps others freedom of speech. It starts so young.
The constitution grants the freedom to practice your religion, not force it's tenents on others.
Luckily, saying God isn't illegal in the schools...yet. By the way, the classmate responded by screaming God 20-30 times which upset both girls. My daughter said he was using "put downs" and was a "bully" by saying it. I quickly dispelled that notion while hiding my chuckle.
I say I applaud the ballsy little guy for standing up to the politically correct bullshit when grown adults at Harvard won't.
Doc, we are already there ...
Scout, I think that's the whole rub with diversity and tolerance (oh how I hate the word) - in theory, they sound good - in practice, they take on a life of their own.
Don't even get me started regarding the public school system ...
Dana, I have been lurking around and reading your blog for awhile now. This subject made me come out!
I know a lot of muslim women, I would have to say they are not allowed to dress in anything revealing anyway, so what the hell are they trying to wear to the gym that is gonna make them uncomfortable around men, unless it is men only that upset them.
Like was said up above I think my leighann, take their ass to curves! That is like me a white girl going to a black college and saying I don't feel comfortable working out with the black ladies.. That is a bunch of bullshit!!
Get over yourselves or get the hell off the campus all together!!!Sorry!!!
Toodles Single!
well I wonder how the fols who enacted sch a rule vote. Not the people who benefit from it.
One more case of the ever widening Sharia-creep on our college campuses. This dhimmitude is fostered by the leftist apologist culture long present in our "higher" education systems. Look for those "women only" hours to become "muslim women only" as the workout clothes that infidel women wear begin to offend the muslims. That will be about 6 months as this furor dies down.
On another note, Dana, I'm sorry I was so harsh on your Sunday secret post. I was concerned and yet had no right to be so short with you. Please accept my apologies.
On a third note, it seems that some new security here on the work computer system, now blocks all "content servers" therefore blocking almost everyone's photos, banners, lots of page formats. So blog reading now is pretty much a text only experience. I'm gonna miss that HNT tomorrow. Good luck with whatever you decide to flash, sadly, I ain't gonna get to see it!
Take care
FMD
I thought Harvard was a secular university. That means take it or leave it.
Sick.
Tricky one this. I don't in principle have an issue with restricting facilities at times to certain sexes. Goodness knows I've heard women asking for the same for the previous mention of anti harassment. I do get uncomfortable though on doing this for religious reasons. Like you say, once you open that door its hard to close it.
If I went to them and said I like to masterbate to an audience, do you think they would take the doors off the stalls in the women's room?
For the record, I don't and I wouldn't. Just sayin'.
Hi Dana!
Oh but don't you know it's ok to discriminate against a majority if it's on behalf of a minority!
No biggie to put a couple of hundred guys out if six Muslim women want to work out.
Oy!
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