The University of Minnesota diversity center recently hosted fitness classes for “students of color”, because I suppose nothing says “diversity” like singling out black and brown people. It is widely assumed that people of color are intimidated or uneasy when in an alleged predominantly “white space” like a fitness center.
While that notion looks to be deeply rooted in racist, white-savior ideology, it hasn’t stopped the University of Minnesota. Breitbart reports:
The University of Minnesota diversity center hosted multiple “student of color” fitness classes intended for students who want to “take up space in places historically known to be predominantly white.”
The University of Minnesota’s Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence hosted two fitness classes for nonwhite students in conjunction with the Recreation and Wellness Center.
There is also an upcoming event called “BIPOC Community Climb Day.” The adjective “BIPOC” stands for “black, indigenous, people of color.”
Again, what is the rationale behind excluding white people from working out alongside their fellow humans? Does the university really think people of color are so fragile that they are afraid to enter into a gym, or patronize a climbing facility?
Neo-segregation is a real thing. They're literally segregating this country again. And this is the "Multicultural Center of Academic Excellence".
Equity, diversity, and inclusion =Racism.
University of Minnesota Hosts 'Student of Color' Fitness Classes https://t.co/4StQUIBLdt
— Shiry Sapir (@shirysapir) March 21, 2023
Apparently, the University of Minnesota feels the need as good white folks to help their black and brown brethren get in better shape without the ever-present threat of Caucasians. Breitbart continued:
The Multicultural Center Director Fernando Rodriguez told the Minnesota Daily that “It’s hard for students who are first-generation students of color who are already feeling isolated to go into the big rec center and then ask for help.”
The Minnesota Daily, the school’s newspaper, also reported that “Terra Brister, interim assistant director of holistic student support, said the classes are an important way for students of color to take up space in places historically known to be predominantly white, such as the gym.”
“I hope by offering these classes that students of color will feel more comfortable exploring different forms of wellness and working out,” Brister also remarked.
The University of Minnesota is not the first academic institution to host racially focused workout events. Cornell University, for example, previously offered a rock climbing course “for people who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or other people of color.” The school eventually allowed white students to attend the rock climbing course after facing media backlash.
This is, of course, just blatant racism under the guise of diversity. Are people of color so fragile that they won’t use a fitness facility unless all the white people are absent? My guess is most black and brown folk know this is nonsense.
Guess who else is somewhat intimidated by a fitness center. Literally everyone that isn’t chiseled and jacking up 300 pound bench presses! Claiming that intimidation and apprehension is the sole domain of people of color is ludicrous, or whoever made this decision hasn’t seen the inside of a gym in a while anyway.
Thankfully, the good folks at the University of Minnesota are there to step up and teach scared minorities how to ask for help in the gym. Hopefully others will see the insanity going on and this will stop, but probably not.
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