Posted on 04/26/2006 2:33:31 PM PDT by LibWhacker
LINCOLN PARK, Mich. (AP) — A chain of fitness centers has put up partitions in response to complaints by Muslim women about a lack of privacy while they work out.
Fitness USA agreed to the changes at its Lincoln Park gym after meeting with a concerned Muslim member of the gym and Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Some Muslim members of the gym said they need to work out in single-sex rooms to meet Islam's standards of modesty. They said they joined Fitness USA because it accommodated this need.
But the gym recently opened a new area open to both sexes, and from there, men were able to see into the women's section, Walid said.
Jodi Berry, administrative director for the chain, based in Oakland County's West Bloomfield Township, said the company had been unaware of the problem. After the meeting last week, Fitness USA installed some panels and frosted glass that completely block off the women's area from the coed room, she said.
CAIR praised the company's decision.
As long as it's not being done as the result of a lawsuit, it doesn't bother me. Want yer extra perks? You get to pay for them.
Cancel membership now, can't see anything now, shoot couldn't see before because of those Burka's! If I was a member I would actually cancel now.
one more 9/11 type terrorist attack in America and "privacy" will be the least of their problems...
Don't the veils, towels on their heads and masks get in the way of exercising?
"Modesty" is a reasonable reason to make such a request. "Islam" is not.
It seems to be that liberals are caught between two powerful lobbies: radical feminists and conservative muslims. Republicans don't have a much of a problem with this. They would just tell both of them to put a sock in it and let the free market resolve the issue.
If they don't like the facilities why don't they open their own bloody gym and run it any way they like?
Better yet, go back to their own countries and open it there.
since that was your first post on your first day, newbie; I'll let you slide...
Incrementalism.
Give him an inch and he wants a foot.
Give him an foot and he wants a yard.
Give him a yard and he wants a pool in it.
generous of you
oh, they need to get a grip. Join an all-woman's spa. Curves, Shapes...
if they don't like the idea of working out with guys, then exercise your free rights and go work out somewhere else!
Why are we accomodating these idiots?
i liked your post!
Cripes! What the hell is that??
Exactly.
more like who in the hell is that!
Muslim persuasion, obviously.
From the url it looks like some poor Serbian.
I don't know why we ever thought those savages could run their own country. Flame me all you like-but at least Saddam kept those stone-agers in check. Yeesh--they've been cuttin goff heads for thousands of years-what, they're going to stop now?
If the women joined because, as the article states, their privacy concerns would be "accommodated", I see no problem with their complaints. The gym had the choice to either give the women their money back or put up the partitions.
From the fitness site:
http://www.fitnessusa.com/WomensFitness.asp
"Separate Exercise Facilities
All Fitness USA locations provide separate exercise facilities for women, giving you a comfortable environment to support a healthy lifestyle. Here in total privacy, your fitness needs are analyzed. Personalized programs are designed using all of our state-of-the-art equipment and professional supervision."
It seems the two are directly linked here. They are modest because of Islamic law. "Chicken and egg" kind of argument, is it not?
Seems to me that they joined the spa/club knowing the rules and have no right expect the club to change based on their complaint. Kind of like joining a nudest club and then complaining about naked men.
They should have registered their complaint BEFORE signing up:
"If you had a women's only section or times, I would join but since you don't, I won't"
Not sure how this is all gonaa work out between the Muzzies wanting changes everywhere they go....the gays wanting changes everywhere they go and the Mexican illegals wanting changes for just being in the USA......LOL!
Prices, location, management, the gym's design, the gym's equipment, hours, etc., etc., all may change without notice. This is how capitalism has always worked. They need to go back home where their way of doing things has perpetually kept them locked up in the 7th Century.
I would cancel my membership if I was there. It's not because of "ogling". It's because it was done strictly to pacify the Islamofacists.
Which is exactly what happened here. There was no court order, no law telling anyone to do this. It was a profit-driven decision. I have zero problem with it.
The change to the gym was made after the women signed up....
But the gym recently opened a new area open to both sexes, and from there, men were able to see into the women's section, Walid said.
The women signe up becuase their privacy needs would be accomodated and the situation changed after they joined.
It's not reasonable to ask someone to register the request before a change. Since the facility has changed, this is when the request is raised. If I am perfectly happy with a service, should I really have the responsibility to anticipate every way it might change to my dissatisfaction and register that beforehand?
So you've seen the membership contract that the women signes.
See reply #14 this thread.
I agree with you, that's the way I read, but I could be wrong, I have been wrong before...
See http://www.fitnessusa.com/WomensFitness.asp
from my link above for their current policy.
Here's their site, lets all tell them how we feel!
http://www.fitnessusa.com/
< If the women joined because, as the article states, their privacy concerns would be "accommodated", I see no problem with their complaints. The gym had the choice to either give the women their money back or put up the partitions. >
They were accommodated as advertised. Then a coed section was opened for those who don't have a problem mixing together. The Muslim men could see it. That's the objection. Can't be teasing those Mooslim men.
Why would any sane man join a gym like this? Come on, if you're going to workout at a "fitness complex" instead of a real gym, you at least better have some eyecandy.
Honestly, same thing goes for the ladies.
Separate Exercise Facilities
All Fitness USA locations provide separate exercise facilities for women, giving you a comfortable environment to support a healthy lifestyle. Here in total privacy, your fitness needs are analyzed. Personalized programs are designed using all of our state-of-the-art equipment and professional supervision.
But I also believe if a new member chooses not to join, then it is reasonable to advise a club of their reasons for not joining.
I think the proper response for them is to ask for their money back, not to demand that the business be run according to their primitive view of the world. That's how I deal with businesses I'm not happy with: I take my biz elsewhere and don't presume to tell them how to run their business.
A lot of women don't like to oggled by men when they excercise, not just Muslim women.
The women were assured of privacy, they didn't get it. Appropriate steps were taken to assure the privacy of women who wanted it.
I was jesting simpleton!
Did you see the seperate facilities policy from the website above? Working out without being oggled by men is not such a primitive idea. Several chains make lots of money assuring women privacy while they work out.
Including this one.
sheesh.
Thanks. I'm gonna send them a little note telling them I'll never do business with people who don't have the brains or the guts not to let themselves to be pushed into dhimmitude.
You have to be in great physical shape to get into the cockpit and slay the pilots.
I'm not arguing with that, SP. All I'm saying is that the company should be allowed to make a change like that if it wants to. Dissatisfied customers can then legitimately ask for and expect to get their money back. However, they cannot expect to be given veto power over company policy.
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