MSA National News Releases
03/05/08 - MSA National commends Harvard University For Immediate Release - March 5, 2008
MSA National welcomes the initiative by Harvard University to introduce women-only hours in one of the campus gyms. It is important that campuses around the nation continue to be a place where people from all backgrounds feel welcome. Designating six of 70 hours a week that the gym is open for women-only is a small but powerful act in support of inclusion.
Asma Mirza, President of MSA National said, "I am glad that one of the leading educational institutions in the world is sending a strong signal in support of diversity and mutual respect." Mirza continued to say, "From my experience at Georgetown and now at the University of Maryland, diversity enriches our educational experience both in and outside of the classroom."
The desire to have women-only fitness facilities is also a national trend. The US Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers industry is approximately a $21 billion industry with health and fitness centers accounting for approximately 41% of the industry. 57% of the industry participants are female. In response to the needs of this consumer base, today there are many popular women-only gyms, such as Lady of America and Curves International. Lady of America has over 600 facilities and Curves International maintains a 2% market share of the overall industry in the US and has 10,000 facilities world-wide.
