Published: Monday, 20th July, 2009 11:49am
Muslim women's swimming demand
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Katherine Walkem
Pic by: Nitu Mistry
MUSLIM women are having to travel to Slough to swim because of a shortage of women-only sessions in Reading.
They say there should be more sessions during school hours and complain that a female lifeguard is not guaranteed for "women-only" evening sessions meaning Muslim women are unable to swim. Katherine Walkem, pictured, a support worker at Prospect Park mental hospital in west Reading, looked into the problem after requests from Muslim women.
She said: "As there are over 3,000 Muslim women in Reading, I feel a significant number of people are being denied the opportunity to swim. I would urge local pools to create sessions for these women, as a couple of hours a week would make a huge difference to them."
Under common interpretations of Islamic law, men should not be present when women are swimming. Caversham woman Khateeba Chechi, who has five daughters and runs a Muslim mother-and-toddler group, said: "For us, it is part of our faith, but I think a lot of women, not just Muslims, prefer women-only swimming."
She said Saturday afternoon all-female swimming at Arthur Hill in Cemetery Junction is very popular but added: "Women travel to Slough because there are sessions during the day, while their children are at school. My girls queue up there sometimes but there are so many people they can't get in. It's a shame. More sessions are definitely needed." Council spokesman Oscar Mortali said: "The council is in a position where it has to balance the various demands on public sessions from various groups in our community and we try to cater to for all groups wherever possible."
It would like to recruit more female lifeguards and he said: "We do offer women-only sessions at Central Pool on Tuesdays from 7.30-8.30pm where there are six lifeguards, one of whom is female. As they work in shifts we unfortunately cannot guarantee a female lifeguard at every women-only session.
"In addition, the whole of Arthur Hill Leisure Centre is women-only on Saturday afternoons from 3.15-5.15pm, including the pool and the fitness gym, and we do supply a female lifeguard at these sessions."
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Marcus
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Jul 23 09 12:46
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These women are not being denied the opportunity to swim. They are denying themselves the opportunity to swim. They have settled in a none islamic country of their own free choice, they are welcome to move to an islamic country any time they want.
Stephanie
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Jul 23 09 21:21
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Just because Muslim men see women as 'pieces of meat' or their whole body as a s*xual object, doesnt mean non-Muslim men do. Muslims are obssesed, its madness.
Tahir
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Jul 28 09 12:37
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So much for a tolerant society. I just wanted to to inform Stephanie seeing women as a piece of meat isn't sadly restricted to race, colour or religion.
The fact our women follow a faith that requires modest does not make them unusual. Unfortunately, this society is no loner one that has or really understand faith or modesty (or being decent for that matter).
Anna
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Sep 12 09 09:00
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Perhaps some Muslim women should come forward and train to become lifeguards?
I think Cllr Maher's comments condemning the whole of British society as being neither modest nor decent and without faith are sweeping and offensive.
There are very few swimming sessions for adults under 60 at public pools in school hours in term time so if some of these became women only that would be very restrictive to men.
amanda
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Dec 8 09 13:27
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This is not just about Muslim women. There are alot of women out there (non-Muslims) who would rather have women only sessions and feel more comfortable that way. Its very embarassing what Stephanie and Marcus have written and I apologise on their behalf if they have offended anyone. We are a multi cultural society and respect that. There may be problems at the moment with having women only sessions but maybe sometime in the future it may be solved.
Aysha
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Dec 9 09 15:40
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If muslims have moved to non islamic country it doesnt mean we forget our faith.\r\nStephanie your man might see you as pieces of meat and a s*xual object. Our men see us with respect and our beauty is just for our husbands not for the world to see.
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