Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Hikind Announces Increased Pool Hours For Women
Assembly member Dov Hikind (D-Borough Park) announced yesterday that women will now receive additional swim time at the Metropolitan Pool Recreation Center in Williamsburg.
Yesterday, Hikind thanked Mayor Bill de Blasio for the extra time allotted to women and said the pool at 261 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn will be adding an additional hour of women's only swim at 6pm on Thursday evenings, beginning February 8.
In 2016, the Parks Department announced a reduction in women's-only swim hours at the local pools from four days a week to two while also cutting hours from 8 to four. The issue came to a head last May, when a local Hasidic women confronted the Mayor on the issue during a town hall. Women who use the Metropolitan Pool, most of whom are the neighborhoods Hasidic women, don't swim with men because they adhere to strict rules of modesty.
"Numerous women called my office when the hours were cut. For Observant Jewish women, there is no choice: If they aren't permitted to swim separately from men, they are not permitted to swim. The Constitution permits reasonable accommodation and that's all we asked for from the very start," said Hikind.
This accommodation does not take away from the general public. On the contrary: It is victory for women and human rights, allowing religious women equal access to public services. While I'm pleased with this victory, I fully intend to fight for additional hours for these women," added Hikind.
The Metropolitan Pool Recreation Center hours for women are Sundays 2:45pm-4:45pm (women and girls), Wednesdays 9am-11am (women only) and, beginning February 8, Thursdays 6pm-7pm (women only).
Comments:
Post a Comment
