It looks like the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus is going to be showing a bit more skin as the Athletic Advisory Committee is amending dress code regulations at the Athletics Centre after a survey showed that a majority wanted more freedom in choosing their workout gear.
As the only campus to enforce T-shirts only, mid-thigh shorts, and a mandatory towel policy when using its gym and cardio facilities, UTSC came under fire after a Facebook group and an online petition were launched in early February of last year.
“Over the last five years, it has been the most contentious rule we’ve had,” said Laurie Wright, the fitness program coordinator at UTSC.
Under the new regulations t-shirts and athletic tank tops with no exposure of front and back midsections will be permitted. No restrictions will be imposed on shorts but they “should be tasteful in coverage.”
Wright said that when the rules were first created over 20 years ago, they were designed to provide a “comfortable and inclusive atmosphere” for students, faculty staff, and outside community members of diverse backgrounds. Since then, rule reviews have taken place approximately every five years.
“We wanted to take away the intimidation factor of a commercial gym… Some people may be conscious about their weight, or have religious or cultural concerns,” said Wright.
Soon after the Facebook group was created last February, a sub-committee decided that a rule review was needed after “increasing transgressions” and “an unwillingness to recognize the validity and purpose of the rules” became evident, a report obtained from the athletics department said.
A focus group consisting of invited alumni, staff, community members, and students — including the creator of the Facebook page and petition — was formed later in the month and was intended to meet, provide an overview of the rules, and suggest recommendations. A follow-up meeting was held in October.
Department staff also conducted a web-based survey that opened in July and closed in November. Of the 330 respondents, 52 per cent were male, 48 per cent were female, and 77 per cent were students. Twenty-seven per cent felt that the rules impeded them from frequenting the facility while 58 per cent felt entirely discouraged from working out there at all. Fifty-six per cent disagreed with the clothing rule.
Randy Thomas, the assistant director of physical education and athletics at UTSC, said that at the focus groups, misnomers in identifying certain clothing led to a misunderstanding of regulation requirements. He gave the example that “five or six” different definitions for tank tops were brought up so by deriving a clearer definition, the attendees felt more comfortable.
“It made people feel that we were taking a more liberal stance.[…] We weren’t asking them to conform,” said Thomas.
Ramona Seupersad, a fitness program assistant who helped mediate the focus groups, stressed that the department and its staff will emphasize hygiene and “etiquette” besides suggesting what types of clothing would be permitted.
“Our strength trainers need to educate users,” said Seupersad. “It seems like they were policing and they shouldn’t have to.”
One reason she said the T-shirt rule was originally implemented was to act as a repository for sweat. The towel rule will still be enforced because the absence of a secondary catch could pose potential health concerns for older faculty and community members who may have “autoimmune disease.”
She added that some people at the focus groups were unaware that not returning heavy weights hindered others’ workouts because some could not remove or disassemble them themselves.
“At other gyms, anything goes. […] We want to accommodate for all walks of life here,” she said.
On the Facebook group page, subscribed to by 650 members, the creator said she felt “offended” and “unwelcome” because of the treatment she received from staff and criticized the rules for being “vague.” In one case, she stated that she was forced to change after allegedly wearing inappropriate “booty shorts” but could not comply in fear of aggravating her ACL reconstruction scars.
“[A strength trainer] informed me that the majority of the school’s population came to a consensus when these rules were created,” she posted. The creator could not be reached for comment.
In another post, Piratheep Thuraisamy (who goes by Theep T on Facebook) said that having to wear a T-shirt felt constraining and uncomfortable when using free weights or cables. When asked about his assessment of the rules at the time, Thuraisamy said they were “completely ridiculous” and contrary to what should be in place at a gym.
“You want to have a certain image of yourself, and to project your own confidence,” he said, adding that with new facilities being built for the Pan Am games, the changes were a step in the right direction. “I feel like it’s about time. It’s long overdue.”
“People must keep in mind that the original rules were based on a committee of some students as well,” said Peter Nguyen, a strength trainer and vice president of the Health and Fitness club at UTSC. “From [a strength trainers] perspective, by making [the rules] more lenient, it shifts the emphasis away from attire regulations and towards supervising exercises.”
Frequent users of the gym have also welcomed the change.
“It’s practical and promotes physical wellbeing so it’s a good thing,” said Alex Lam.
“Being able to wear different clothes now will be nice,” said Brianne Winrow.
Saleha Ahmad, a customer service representative at UTSC’s conditioning room, The Key, says that being comfortable in workout clothes is elemental and sees no reason why the new rules should cause any discrepancies.
Ahmad also dismissed speculation that the clothing rule was formed solely for religious concerns as “ignorance” and “scapegoat[ing].”
“People don’t complain when others are too covered. They [complain] when they are not,” she said.
Andrew Bellerby, the fitness program coordinator at UTM, where a similar transition occurred about five years ago, said that its rules have “relaxed considerably” and supported UTSC’s change as a “policy consistency with other campuses.”
A user of both the downtown and UTSC gym facilities, David Khachikyan said that though the UTSC gym is more crowded and strictly monitored, the dress code regulations brought about coherence and uniformity.
“I’m not sure how this will play out. It is always difficult to please everyone when change is involved,” said Rosie Posca, assistant manager of the faculty of physical education and health.
“I think we’re still going to have people who may be unhappy with the changes but I think the majority of our users will be appreciative that we’ve listened to them,” said Wright. “We’re hoping people will be conscious and tasteful in what they wear.”
