To accommodate Muslim students, Harvard tries women-only gym hours
Abbie Ruzicka
Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: News
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?"
Harvard junior Nick Wells said he believes the women-only hours are inconvenient for the residents that live near the facility and discriminate against men.
"It is unfair to impose a stringent policy that inhibits [students] from using their own facility in order to further a useless policy that doesn't have any real effect," he said.
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?"
Harvard junior Nick Wells said he believes the women-only hours are inconvenient for the residents that live near the facility and discriminate against men.
"It is unfair to impose a stringent policy that inhibits [students] from using their own facility in order to further a useless policy that doesn't have any real effect," he said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 167
James Blazer
posted 2/25/08 @ 9:47 AM EST
Speaking for the Phallic-aly Challenged Students, we demand that we too be given special time where we get exclusive gym rights. We are tired of feeling inadequate amongst some of the other students. (Continued…)
Greg
posted 2/25/08 @ 10:09 AM EST
There's nothing quite like conforming to the least common denominator to really torpedo the entire concept of Western civilization. If Muslim women are worried about their "modesty" then maybe they should step out of the 7th century. (Continued…)
Ryan
posted 2/25/08 @ 10:10 AM EST
This is completely ridiculous. I am glad my campus has not implemented such a policy. The entire population of a school should not be forced to follow the rules set out by a minority RELIGIOUS group. (Continued…)
George
posted 2/25/08 @ 11:29 AM EST
Beautiful words but sinister intentions!
Jen06
posted 2/25/08 @ 11:44 AM EST
"We live together in one community, it only makes sense for everyone to compromise slightly in order for everyone to live happily," said Ola Aljawhary. (Continued…)
Paco
posted 2/25/08 @ 12:48 PM EST
Good progressive move, Harvard. Leading the way back to those good old days of "separate but equal" public facilities.
Why stop with re-segregating the gym? Go all out and emulate everything they do in the apartheid Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (Continued…)
W.J.
posted 2/25/08 @ 2:56 PM EST
Whatever happened to separation of Church and State? Whatever happened to "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech". (Continued…)
Alexandra Balyanova
posted 2/25/08 @ 3:26 PM EST
Making separate rules and exceptions for religion has been somehow sacred for both the right and the left, the right for Christianity and the left for minority religions like Islam. (Continued…)
Vince P
posted 2/25/08 @ 3:27 PM EST
This is absolutely outrageous. Are the people who decided this totally ignorant of what is going on around the world? Accomodating the oh-so-many special needs of Muslims is the same thing as compelling the rest of society to conform to Sharia Law. (Continued…)
Feminist Student
posted 2/25/08 @ 3:37 PM EST
Why does this particular set of sexist superstitions deserve accommodation? The answer of course is religion and the way any bigotry or absurd practice wrapped up in the God of Abraham is suddenly worthy of almost unquestioning 'tolerance' and 'respect' in academia. (Continued…)
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