Washington State University Offers Women-Only Fitness Programs

Washington State University in Pullman enrolls about 23,000 undergraduate students and about half of them are women. The university has announced that it is now offering fitness classes that are restricted to women.

Joanne Green, director of programs for university recreation, reports that many women students felt uncomfortable working out in the presence of men and therefore chose not to exercise at all. Some women said that they could not exercise comfortably in front of men for religious reasons.

The university now offers swimming classes for women and all instructors and lifeguards on duty are women. There are Zumba classes held in rooms with no windows and only women instructors. This semester, new offerings in weight training and crossfit training are offered in women-only sessions.