Lawsuit opposing women-only workout areas goes before CT Supreme Court
The Connecticut Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit that claims gyms and exercise facilities with designated areas where only women can work out discriminated against men.
In a 90-minute hearing, the justices heard from both parties on whether gyms violates a statute prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations or if these separate areas are exemptions like separate female and male bathrooms and locker rooms. They did not issue a ruling before going into recess until separate hearings will be held Thursday.
The appeal before the state’s highest court, which followed complaints to the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities from two men who exercised at the Edge Fitness and Club Fitness, seeks to overturn a lower court ruling that having areas in a gym exclusively for women does not violate the statute.
According to court records, a hearing officer first ruled the complaint does not violate the statute, saying a women-only workout area addresses similar issues of privacy that gave rise to statutory exemptions for separate male and female bathrooms.
The hearing officer said “the defendants offer the areas to encourage more women to come to the gyms and, also, that the areas are frequented by women of the Muslim and Jewish faiths who are forbidden from exercising with men,” according to a synopsis of the case provided by the Judicial Branch.
A trial court agreed with the hearing officer’s ruling, records show.
The lower court also ruled that eliminating these workout areas for women would put an undue burden on those of the Muslim and Jewish faith, records show.
The plaintiff, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, appealed the case, arguing it discriminates against men and there was no “customer gender privacy” in the statute, according to court records.