Crown Heights Woman Sues Gym for Discrimination

A 25 year-old Orthodox-Jewish woman from Crown Heights has filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against a local fitness chain, claiming she was threatened with arrest and had her membership revoked because she used the gym’s facilities while dressed modestly.

From the New York Post:

An Orthodox Jewish woman is suing the Lucille Roberts health-club chain for allegedly pitching a holy fit when she insisted on wearing a skirt during her workouts in Brooklyn.

Yosefa Jalal, of Crown Heights, claims in court papers to be filed Friday that she was repeatedly harassed, threatened with arrest and ultimately had her membership revoked for following religious dictates regarding female modesty.

“I think it’s wrong what they did to me. I should be able to work out in a skirt,” said Jalal, 25.

“Just because I’m an observant Jew doesn’t mean that I should be treated like a criminal and shouldn’t be allowed to work out. It’s just not fair.”

Click here to continue reading at the NY Post.

13 Comments

  • DeClasse' Intellectual

    Her problem is that her action does not conform to tays political correctness and left wing liberalism exposed in 1600 Penn avenue

  • Chaim H.

    Good for her for taking a stand and not conforming. Unfortunately many take the “easy” way out and abandon their morals and principals when faced with a challenge. 

    As a man who spends hours at the gym, i would tell all men as well…if you wear a kippa and tzitzit outside the gym, there is no reason not to wear then while working out. Wear a larger kippa (so it shouldn’t fall off), there are a few options of tzitzit one can wear. i workout out between 2-3 hours a day (lazy days and hour and half) and wearing kippa, tzitzit (and long pants) has not slowed me down one bit.

    I’m a Jew and I’m proud and I’ll sing it out load!

  • uch

    this is so distasteful. Many (most) gyms do not allow skirts for safety reasons. She should either get a treadmill or an elliptical and work out at home, or wear proper fitness clothing.

    • Milhouse

      Or the gym can get over itself and change its procedures, and most gyms can do the same. There is no justification for this rule, and your claim of “safety reasons” is belied by your suggestion that she do the same thing at home. Would it be safer there?!

      If they’re worried about a lawsuit let them have her sign a waiver.

    • Awacs

      I defy you to link to ONE – just one! – example of a woman hurt by wearing a skirt while working out.

    • sorry

      rules are rules, and if she wants to be a member of that gym she should follow them. there is absolutely nothing halachically wrong with workign out in proper gym clothes. honestly, i think this is a big chillul hashem on her part.

    • Chaim H.

      To sorry.

      If this is indeed their policy, then all they need to do (to win this case) is show where this policy is written and where the consumer signs on it.

      If its not on paper, they can jump.

    • Milhouse

      Rules are not rules. They are not entitled to have whatever rules they like. If the rule has no rational basis, and is in effect a form of religious discrimination then they must get rid of it.

      And who told you that ” there is absolutely nothing halachically wrong with workign out in proper gym clothes”? In which sefer did you see that? Which rov paskened it, and on what basis?

      Finally, you apparently have no idea what the term “chilul hashem” means. Chilul hashem means compromising ones yiddishkeit in order to get along with goyim and not stand out. This is the exact opposite, a kiddush hashem.