Posted on 02/27/2008 10:48:14 AM PST by sdk7x7
Engineering freshman Dara Elass wears long sleeves, pants and a burkha, a head scarf traditionally worn by Muslim women, every time she pays a visit to Pottruck. She follows traditional Islamic law, which requires that women cover up in the presence of men - even at the gym.
But if Penn follows in Harvard University's footsteps, students like Elass might be able to shed their layers.
Last month, Harvard implemented women-only hours at its Quadrangle Recreation Athletic Center in an effort to allow Muslim women to exercise in a more carefree setting. For six hours each week, only women are permitted to enter the facility - a rule that makes some males on campus unhappy.
"They're commandeering a community space," Harvard sophomore Adam Moss said in an article that appeared in The Harvard Crimson.
The new policy, which is an "experimental situation" according to Harvard associate athletics director Jeremy Gibson, will be evaluated in the coming months and the athletics continue the policy or make it permanent.
Though Elass acknowledged that all-women gym hours might be "inconvenient" for others, she said such a policy would make her feel far more comfortable.
"I would have more freedom to take off my scarf and wear short sleeves," she said. "It would just make life easier."
Elass said she never went to the gym last semester because she couldn't get used to the idea of working out in front of males. Her physical-education classes in Bahrain were always segregated by gender.
"I don't feel comfortable stretching, sweating or exercising in front of guys," she said.
Athletic Department spokesman Mike Mahoney said no one has approached Penn Athletics yet with such an idea, and added that women-only hours would be "hard to pull off" at Pottruck .
He pointed out first that Harvard's QRAC was one of several different fitness centers on its campus, while Pottruck is Penn's primary workout facility.
Men on the street would still be able to view users during women-only hours due to the building's architecture and glass windows.
Though Mahoney said the department would be open to discussing the issue, he added that it would be a "difficult juggling act" to carry out such an initiative based on the original purpose of the building.
"When Pottruck was opened, it was a center that was open to the entire community and in that sense it was supposed to bring people together - black, white, Asian, Muslim, male and female," he said.
College junior and Muslim Students Association vice president Amanda El-Dakhakhni said that many Muslim students and faculty members have suggested that such a policy be implemented.
"I think there's a significant number of women that would take advantage of it," she said.
Although there has not yet been a push for a policy similar to Harvard's, "it's definitely wanted," she said. "This might be the next step of making [the MSA] known on campus."
El-Dakhakhni suggested making one level of Pottruck women-only for a few hours instead of closing the entire facility, an idea that Mahoney said would likely be unfeasible because "the building is open for everybody."
Is it wrong to hope Harvard burns to the ground?
With nobody but Liberals in it, of course.
She can have her way back where she comes from.
They should have “No girls allowed” hours. That would free up equipment for men.
Oh, no can do. That would be discriminatory!
Can you imagine the outrage if men requested that the facility be closed to women during peak hours of use? Can you say sexual discrimination lawsuit?
I disagree as to who they are doing this “women only” hours but I hate going to a gym that is not women only. They just become giant meat markets, I want to exercise, thats it.
Agreed.
I actually sympathize. It serves no legitimate purpose to have males and females work out in the same facility. I find it distracting at best, annoying at worst. Here's the solution:
Establish women-only hours.
Establish men-only hours.
Ship the Moslems back to Arabia anyway.
maybe its time to revive the equal rights ammendment
he he he
Maybe Bahrain would be a better place for her...
Ewww...
Normally I would have no problem with this. But in matters having to do with Islam the demands never cease. At first they are rather reasonable or relatively unimportant. But they just keep coming and there is seemingly no end to them short of surrender to Islam. And the demands are frequently accompanied by escalating threats if not met. Now is the time to nip this stuff in the bud by either denying the privileges altogether or drawing definite limits on how far this can go. But I sincerely doubt that many (or any) university is prepared to stand up to this.
As long as they institute pimp and ho hours, there is no problem.
When they start the women only hours, pull all federal funding from Harvard on the basis of sexual discrimination. Separate but equal is no longer acceptable. Harvard does not need the funding anyway with their endowment.
I see a perfect setting for... PANTY RAID!!
“Her physical-education classes in Bahrain were always segregated by gender.”
Well here’s an easy fix: GO BACK TO BAHRAIN!!!!!!
Next semester-Penn announces Albino Aleutian Mennonite only schedule.
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