Open-minded... but closed-doored

Muslim women now have a private gym at Harvard. Well, not quite, but they have private hours with only female staff on hand for about 6 hours a week. BOSTON

— In a test of Harvard's famed open-mindedness, the university has banned men from one of its gyms for a few hours a week to accommodate Muslim women who say it offends their sense of modesty to exercise in front of the opposite sex.

The policy is already unpopular with many on campus, including some women who consider it sexist.

There they can work out in private, able to dawn a more appropriate exercise attire while not offending the male sex. I'm sorry, I should cite the article:

The special hours allow the Muslim women, who adhere to traditional dress codes by covering their hair and most of their skin while in public, to dress more appropriately for exercising, said Susan Marine, director of the women's center.

"It's a pretty big breach of their moral and religious code for a man to see them with their hair uncovered and it's just not possible for them to be in a mixed environment," she said.

Frankly, I'm surprised Muslim women can exercise at all. Are they not to cover themselves from head to toe around men, related and non-related? Aren't they to reject the western ideals of femininity and the west's obsession with sexuality and beauty? So why a need to exercise at all? You shouldn't be thinking about your bodies- you should be hiding so as not to be seen or annoy.

Oh no, was that politically incorrect of me?

Do I disagree with this whole ordeal? Yes. Am I a huge bitch for not recognizing another religion and discriminating against those that want to use the gym? Go ahead and say whatever it is you like. Yes, it's only 6 hours a week. Do I think a lot of guys are going to the gym from 8-10 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays? Well, I'm not sure. But no matter what day it is I go to the gym, there's bound to be some dudes walking around. It's about a schedule, and inconveniencing others' schedules.

What is it I love the most about this story?

An Associated Press reporter who went to the gym Monday did not see any Muslim women entering. Efforts to reach some of the women who requested the policy through the Women's Center were unsuccessful.

Love it. First of all, these "lobbyists" should be touting this as a victory for Muslim women. Second, if you lobby so hard for it, you should be there. If you want to inconvenience others, get your ass in gear and get to the gym. Every hour of your precious 6 allotted.