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Muslim women fight for women-only gym days

I don't know, I actually prefer women only gyms too. These women in Dearborn, Michigan had joined Fitness USA because they promised certain days would be women-only (many of them don't feel comfortable working out in their headscarves, but feel more uncomfortable working out without them in front of men, understandably). They have recently taken issue with the gym's new policy that no longer provides gender segregated days to work out.

So far, about 200 Muslim women with Fitness USA memberships have signed a petition asking the chain to return to gender-specific days for the entire gym or to put up a divider so men and women can't see each other while working out.

Though Islam is guiding their concerns, Saidi and other Muslims stress that people of other faiths, including Christians and Orthodox Jews, share similar concerns. Moreover, with the Islamic population growing, Muslims argue it makes good business sense for local companies to accommodate their faith.

Like other local Muslim women, Saidi said she joined Fitness USA last year because managers repeatedly made verbal promises that there would be gender-specific workout days at some of the facilities.

I would be pretty pissed if I was on contract based on an agreement that was not upheld, especially if it was a religous or cultural belief. I could just see the gym folks being like, "what's the big deal?"

via Detroit Free Press.

Posted by Samhita - April 23, 2006, at 07:02PM | in Sports

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10 Comments

[0+]  Sylke said:

Why don't they just join a women's gym? There are lots of them where I live, and I live in BFA. I don't understand the logic of joining a gym that MIGHT provide women-only days instead of joining a women-only gym.

I hope the gym doesn't segregate. Tolerance is fabulous, but I really hate it when the belief's of some are shoved down the throats of everyone else. If I were a man I would be pissed beyond belief at being shut out of a gym I paid regular dues to. Are men going to get a discount on membership if their access to the gym is limited because SOME women can't handle being seen by a man in sweats?

Give me a break.

[0+]  Manda said:

I would agree - except that the gym told these women they would have the days when they signed up. They made an agreement, took the womens' cash, then changed their policy. I think Fitness USA's promise obligates them to accomodate the women (with a partition or segregated days) through the end of their contracts. When that contract is up, Fitness USA can offer new contracts that don't include the promise of women only days and the women can find a new gym.

[0+]  naname said:

"I would be pretty pissed if I was on contract based on an agreement that was not upheld" - Samhita

Gender segregation was not in the contract. It was only promised verbally and only at some facilities.

[0+]  Hujo said:

Women only gyms are every where.

Are the men raping them with thier eyes? Why is it "understandable"?

If the don't like men there is always self segregation.

I don't think it is fair to make the men alter thier schedual because of manphobia.


[0+]  hujo said:

OOps, I see it is cultural, (blush) What is the significance of removing the head scarf in front of men?

I still don’t see how it can be expected of men to have to alter their workout routines?

[0+]  Betsy Markum said:

I can't believe it, my co-worker just bought a car for $57775. Isn't that crazy!

[0+] Author Profile Page killermiller said:

They said that the sales people told them there would be gender days. So, we naturally assume the club is lying. Do you not see that what these people are doing is doing what you complain the Christians are doing? When you finally realize that islam is a geopolitical force and not a religion...well...it will, and it is, too late.

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