Scenario 1: At my oldest son’s swimming lesson recently the teacher, par for the first day, had all the kids line up next to the pool. It became apparent that one little girl, a devout Muslim as indicated by her abaya (a long black robe that covered her to her wrists and ankles) and hijab (the head scarf), intended to swim in all of her clothing. Our Y has a strict “no street clothes in the pool” policy of which I have run afoul of once myself, getting into a heated argument about swim shorts with a lifeguard who was probably a fetus when I was on Spring Break so what could he possibly know about women’s swimsuits, not that I’m still bitter or anything. Anyhow, the girl’s mother was brought over and after a small discussion the girl was taken away.
The next week, she showed up in a full body rash guard like the kind surfer’s wear to protect them from chafing and the elements. Again, it covered her from chin to wrist to ankle and her hair was tucked into a swim cap. Her mother and what I presume were several aunties lined the bench nearby to cheer her on. As I splashed in the baby pool with my toddler (and my cute little swim shorts on thank you very much), I assumed all would be fine and went back to waving at my sons as they learned the hard way that Rescue Heroes Movie notwithstanding, you really can’t magically produce scuba gear when you sink.
All was not well. After several minutes the lifeguard again pulled the girl out of the pool. Mom and aunties were called over. Then another lifeguard. Then the supervisor. The problem? Once the little girl, probably about 8 years old, jumped in the water, her all-white rash guard became transparent and the lifeguard realized that contrary to his instructions of the week prior, the girl still was not wearing a swimsuit underneath. I can only imagine the poor girl’s embarrasment as her modesty was argued over. At last they took the discussion to the swim office and I was forced to mind my own business. The little girl never came back to swim class.
Scenario Two: Every time our Hip Hop Hustle class learns a new routine we videotape it and put it on YouTube. What can I say? We never grew out of the dance recital phase. YouTube nights are a lot of fun. We all dress up in whatever incarnation of suburban hip hop mommy we can put together, slap on some makeup, add a few dubious accessories (you should see Turbo Jennie’s pimpin’ fedora) and whip out the video camera.
Not wanting anyone to embarass themselves by association with us unless they are fully onboard with the hilarity, Turbo Jennie always announces right before we tape to give people the option to step out for a couple of minutes. Usually there are a few takers but that night I noticed something unusual about the group on the sideline. Save for one white woman who was there for the first night and didn’t know the steps, every girl who stepped out of the frame was Muslim.
The next day I asked Gym Buddy Krista, who is Muslim and also used to my overly personal questions, what the deal was. Krista explained that in their religion it is not okay for women to dance for men or where men can watch. Exercise is okay as long as they keep appropriately covered, hijab included, but dancing and especially on YouTube where you have no control over who views it, is prohibited. She told me that the women were actually being rather daring by coming to Hip Hop at all since it was right on that dance/exercise line and there are usually two or three men in attendance (incidentally, the men are usually the best dancers in the room).
Our Y, similar to many other fitness establishments across the country with high Muslim populations (you wouldn’t guess but Minneapolis has a large number of Somali immigrants, the majority of whom are Muslim), has adapted to this by instituting a “women’s only” cardio class. The teacher must always be a woman – as Gym Buddy Bill discovered when he volunteered to sub the class one evening – and they hold the class in a closed studio with the windows curtained off and the door closed. In there, the women are free to dress as they choose and get their sweat on without having to worry about losing their headcovering.
It seems like a good compromise. And yet, as evidenced by the two scenarios listed above, it is not perfect. The women’s class is only one hour one night a week. They have no access to the weight floor (and I can’t imagine how they would since the weight floor is smack dab in the middle of the fitness area with nary a wall nor a door) nor do they have much variety. Obviously there are problems with what constitutes proper swimming attire.
Other gyms have tried different tactics. There are of course “female only” gyms like Curves. Krista tells me those aren’t a good solution since the maintenance staff or managers are sometimes men and will walk in and out with no warning, causing the Muslim women in attendance to have to remain vigilantly covered “just in case.” Other gyms, like the one at Harvard, set aside certain hours every day where the entire gym is off limits to men thereby allowing women of all religious (or not) persuasions to exercise in peace. And yet, that hardly seems fair to the men. Last I checked there are no “male only” classes or gym times. Not to mention that many people – including not only Muslims, but Hasidic Jews, conservative Christians and the entire demographic of people who have forgotten what it is like to be thirteen – take offense to a lot of gym music and shows airing on public gym televisions.
So where do you draw the line between discrimination and accomodation? Getting people to exercise is a difficult enough task but it seems even more complicated when you factor in religious beliefs. How much should different religions be catered to? Or should the comfort of a few be sacrificed so the rest of us can enjoy (is that the word I’m looking for?) the Britney Spears catalog in its entirety? Is there any place you know of that has gotten the balance right?
I was a member once of a co-ed gym that had a separate women’s area for those who wanted more privacy. It was accessible through the women’s lockerroom, and only female staffers went in. Only problem was that while it did have cardio equipment and several weight machines, it didn’t have the full complement that the rest of the gym did.
The problem with serving the needs of the few instead of the many is that gyms are businesses…they rely on numbers. Still, if there was a high demand, more conservative gyms could find a niche. And I wouldn’t mind seeing less of the objectionable shows from MTV and VHI in my gym…not for any religious reason, but because I swear I lose brain cells from watching even just a few seconds of that crap.
Thanks for the post Charlotte. As a Muslim, I think the Y really does a good job of trying to be inclusive to those who want to exercise in modesty. It’s my opinion that just letting minorities know that they have been factored into the thought process of the gym/class is a huge step toward inclusivity, which is much appreciated. As far as the swimming issue goes, they really just need to have some diversity training in that area…something I am more than happy to help them with. Thanks again Charlotte for thinking outside the box!
Speaking of personal (and completely inappropriate) questions…I have to confess that I’ve been wondering about your religious underwear all day.
I consider myself pretty open minded and I respect the religious beliefs of others, however, I’ll admit that I know very little about the “rules” of other religions. I’m glad you’ve shared some of the information you’ve learned here. (I’ve often wondered how Krista keeps the Hajib on her head while I’m replacing my headband for the third time.)
As far as television goes, I rarely notice the sets at the Y, unless there’s a baseball or football game on. I think there’s usally a good variety of options, though, aren’t there?
I recently started and then quit a “Funky Fitness” class at my Y because I found the moves too sexual and the music to be trash. There was one man in the class and he was having way too much fun watching all the wiggling heinies. I tried just dropping the suggestive moves, but then it wasn’t as much of a workout. A lower impact class with ‘older’ music was suggested but it was too slow.
I’ve found other workouts and classes to get my exercise and I acknowledge that my conservative views aren’t the same as the majority. But I am troubled that the Y which espouses family values offers a venue for things I wouldn’t want my family to see. But did I bring my concerns to the management? Sadly, no.
Thanks for addressing this subject.I’m intersested in reading others’ comments.
Charlotte,
This is an interesting topic – thanks for the great post. I think that some accomodations should be made for religious beliefs, but I am sure that anyone who is looking for a “woman’s only” time or class (for religious reasons or otherwise) understands that the entire gym can’t be under this rule at all times. A class in a private room seems like a good compromise.
As for the little girl who wanted to swim, I think the gym should have made an exeption for her. Our society makes other reasonable exceptions for people – Jehovah’s Witnesses in elementary school classrooms come to mind. We make understandable exceptions to the rules for other groups (service animals in public areas where animals aren’t allowed.) Part of living in society is reasonably accomodating the needs of individuals.
If the street clothes in the pool are a problem because of cleanliness, they could have told the mom to have the girl bring a seperate, freshly laundered outfit for swimming. (And besides, how many kids pee in the pool at the Y? Can anyone argue cleanliness as an issue?) If I was the manager and other parents complained that it was unfair, I would tell them they are welcome to bring their kids to swim in an abaya and hijab or they can bring in a note from their ecclesiastical leader as to why wearing a t-shirt and jeans in the pool is part of their religion. (Insert sarcasm here.)
Sometimes I feel like our society bends over backwards to be inclusive / non-offensive to some groups, but disregards / disrespects other groups who are more traditional, modest, or “old-fashioned” so to speak. We fight so hard for things like freedom of the press and freedom of speech for Papparazi and porn sellers, but freedom of religion often gets swept under the rug.
Always an interesting and thoughtful read!
My fitness center is pretty accommodating to it’s very diverse members. I guess if it doesn’t allow for some behaviors, those folks don’t join.
Religion is just one of the many factors where our society has taken out its tape measure and divided all of us based upon religion, gender, age, race, sexual preference, height, and now weight too. It’s impossible to get it right when it comes to a public domain. When accommodating to one group, you’d always be excluding another. We have tied up courts with lawsuits based upon perceived discriminations just like the two you describe. When solutions are presented such as alternate times or certain groups only, it starts the push back from the new group that feels left out. This is a great subject to debate, but I don’t think you’ll have a clear winner.
It is often really hard to find a way to accommodate the needs of everyone. At least gyms are trying to find a way to make everyone feel comfortable exercising, even if there are still shortcomings.
Interesting topic indeed. I do agree that we tend to bend over backwards to accomodate everyone to avoid possible finger pointing and non-politically-correctness. Unfortunately when you go the extra mile for one person, another is being short-changed.
Hmm, thought provoking questions. I think its cool that the Y is trying to accommodate its Muslims members…but, it sounds like there are still a few problems.
I often read the member comment wall at my Y…and I think it is impossible to please every single gym member. Ain’t ever going to happen. Gyms can only do so much…especially if they cater to a really diverse membership.
I think the most important thing is that members keep commenting on what they want/expect from their gyms. I know my Y does its best to address every suggestion. They will do what they can to make every member happy, but again, they can’t please everyone.
I love when you make me think about something I had never thought about before. Sometimes, I’m just so oblivious that anyone is different from me to the point where they couldn’t just walk into a gym and get their sweat on. I don’t know what the answer is – if you make special accommodations (as in women’s only classes/hours), as a business, you’re excluding clientele who might also want their “only” hours or classes. And where do you draw the line?
As for the girl in the pool – personally, I think she should have an exception made for her. She wasn’t inconveniencing anyone and I agree with Shellie – anyone who complained could produce a note from their place of worship to swim in non-swim attire, or deal. Doubt there would be many.
I don’t know how to eloquently add anything to this conversation, so I won’t try. I will say this, though: If accommodating one group with classes or specific hours temporarily excludes another more privileged/dominant group, so be it, IMO. I would never be able to comfortably complain about being excluded knowing that all other hours and areas are open to me.
The gym I used to belong to added a Women’s Only area. It is completely walled in and the only entrance is through the women’s locker room. I often used to go in there because hardly anyone used it (at least not at the time of day I was there) so it was almost like having my own private gym. It is not a huge space, so obviously the choice of equipment is somewhat limited, but it has cardio equipment, a weight circuit and some free weights, mats and balls.
Of course, if you want to go to classes you still have to go out to the main gym. So not a perfect solution.
Way back when I belonged to a gym, I remember that it had a womens only workout room. However, I always remember it being empty. Maybe once did I see someone in there. I have several friends who use Curves and love it. Personally, I would have had no problem with some classes/areas being off limits to me at certain times so that another group with other requirements/needs could use it. However, as many people have stated, I’m sure someone else would feel they weren’t getting their money’s worth or being discriminated against.
I wonder if mosques and muslim community centers offered women-only exercise options? Surely? Could this be an opportunity for home video exercise companies? Anyway, I thought it was challenging to get in my workout as a mom of three (almost 4). Clearly my challenges are minimal!
It’s true that you won’t be able to please all the people all the time. (As an example, at our gym, we just converted a room into a Pilates studio, allowing us to have more group reformer classes and to not have to end class early in order to move the reformers out of the way for the next class. On the first day, the class complained about the lighting, the windows, the placement of the reformers, etc. You can’t win, lol!)
There are no easy answers. As Shellie said, reasonable exceptions can be made, but it’s not always possible to find ideal solutions. Most people, I think, are pleased when an effort is made, but you’ll always have folks who will never be satisfied.
I also want to second what Sara said: MTV and VH1 have gotten completely ridiculous! It’s like they’re actively trying to kill our brain cells!
And Amy, I agree that a Y seems a strange place to add the kinds of classes you write about!
Fantastic article, Charlotte. This article taps into what I think is one of the largest but greatly ignored issues in the Twin Cites: Relations between the Muslim and Christian communities, and in particular the relations between Chrisitan and the Somali population. While this may come off as an overly general statement, I think that the primary issue is that either side knows very little about the other and as a result is causing conflict in a country that is supposed to have religious freedom. I’m very guilty of not knowing much about the Muslim faith and their traditions, so I many times fall back on the somewhat ignorant thoutline of “Why can’t they just adapt to how the rest of us live?”. It’s this ignorance that is incredibly ugly but never addressed (key example: During the Lakeville campaign stop and the crazy cat lady said that Obama was “an Arab” and other supporters “accused” Obama of being Muslim, the McCain campaign’s response was that “No, he’s not, he’s a good man.” News flash: Just because you’re not Christian doesn’t mean you’re not a good person too!)
In a very short period of time, Minnesota’s culteral landscape has changed quite dramatically in a way that I don’t think it was ready for (the Somali population in Minnesota in 2002 was nearly 9 times of what it was back in 1990), and it has been a culture shock for both groups. Religious freedom is incredibly important and needs to stay intact, but we must also make sure that if changes are made to the Minnesota culture that others do not feel that they’re lifestyle is being afflicted upon in a negative manner, thus building resentment.
This is a discussion that has issues that can’t just be solved on one comment board, but it’s a dialogue that should’ve (but sadly didn’t) started years ago and should be discussed moving forward.
You’re absolutely right Ted. And FYI, if you ever have any questions about Muslims or Islam, just kick me in Turbo and we can discuss:)
Charlotte, I just wanted to say thanks for this fascinating and very educational discussion.
Such a tricky situation. A big problem, too, is if accommodation BECOMES discrimination… I think its important to try to offer as much as possible for as many people as possible, though.
What a great post for discussion, Charlotte!
Here’s my take on it: A public gym, like the Y, is inherently a public place. One is required to adapt, to find the workout and area that is comfortable for you. If this isn’t possible, speak to a manager, try to start a new class, maybe, or switch gyms.
I do not believe that it is appropriate for a public gym like the Y to make accommodations for religious preferences, partially because it isn’t possible to please everyone all the time, and partially because the Y is no longer affiliated with a religious organization–it’s the separation of church and state, on a smaller scale.
That said, wouldn’t it be great if a couple of ladies in your area started their own private, female-owned-and-operated only gym? This would solve most of the accommodation issues at hand, I believe.
What do you think?