2008 Woodie Awards
An Open Letter to the Whittemore Center
Lisa M. Litterio
Issue date: 9/22/06 Section: Commentary
- Page 1 of 1
As the sound of my alarm and the glaringly bright red digits of my alarm clock read 7:45 a.m., I rise out of bed and select my work-out clothes for an early morning run on the
treadmill at the Whittemore center. I am careful to select a t-shirt, and my sleeveless shirts and work-out tank tops remain untouched, gathering dust in my wooden bureau.
I leave my apartment and cross the street, patiently waiting until I see the safety of the pedestrian walk signal. As I enter the Whittemore center, as I do most mornings, I am
bombarded by the array of flyers with the same generic, senseless message. They read:
"Starting August 28th, no sleeveless shirts will be allowed. If you need a t-shirt, please see the recreation staff who will supply you with one."
I do not understand this policy. Why no to sleeveless shirts? It's still warm out, we've been going through an Indian summer lately, and people sweat a lot, especially at the gym. As a girl who sweats profusely whether I'm running on the treadmill listening to Fergie on my iPod or lifting weights on the cybex equipment, I urge you to reconsider your policy. You see,
when you don't casually linger by the weight machines and check out members of the opposite sex, you work out, exercise vigorously, and you SWEAT.
I am often stifled and hindered by the sleeves of my oppressive t-shirt, as they stick to my shoulders and weigh me down. There is a freedom to sleeveless shirts, that allows my shoulders to breathe and also creates more movement, whether it's increased speed on the treadmill or extra reps on the bicep curl machine. What is the downside of sleeveless shirts? Will seeing anexposed shoulder of the opposite or same sex offend anyone?
Is this some form of sexual harassment I just don't know about? Will the odor of underarm pits create a foul stench in the entire center? It's called deodorant, and I can quite confidently say that we've been using it since puberty. Was there perhaps an injury with an exposed shoulder blade?
Perhaps a weight accidentally struck and ripped someone's shoulder blade where the protection of a thin cotton layer of t-shirt could have been?
Regardless of the rationale, I and countless others, just do not understand. Please allow us the freedom of movement, the feeling of cool air on our shoulders, and the aesthetic beauty of the sleeveless shirt to make its return to the Whittemore Center.
treadmill at the Whittemore center. I am careful to select a t-shirt, and my sleeveless shirts and work-out tank tops remain untouched, gathering dust in my wooden bureau.
I leave my apartment and cross the street, patiently waiting until I see the safety of the pedestrian walk signal. As I enter the Whittemore center, as I do most mornings, I am
bombarded by the array of flyers with the same generic, senseless message. They read:
"Starting August 28th, no sleeveless shirts will be allowed. If you need a t-shirt, please see the recreation staff who will supply you with one."
I do not understand this policy. Why no to sleeveless shirts? It's still warm out, we've been going through an Indian summer lately, and people sweat a lot, especially at the gym. As a girl who sweats profusely whether I'm running on the treadmill listening to Fergie on my iPod or lifting weights on the cybex equipment, I urge you to reconsider your policy. You see,
when you don't casually linger by the weight machines and check out members of the opposite sex, you work out, exercise vigorously, and you SWEAT.
I am often stifled and hindered by the sleeves of my oppressive t-shirt, as they stick to my shoulders and weigh me down. There is a freedom to sleeveless shirts, that allows my shoulders to breathe and also creates more movement, whether it's increased speed on the treadmill or extra reps on the bicep curl machine. What is the downside of sleeveless shirts? Will seeing anexposed shoulder of the opposite or same sex offend anyone?
Is this some form of sexual harassment I just don't know about? Will the odor of underarm pits create a foul stench in the entire center? It's called deodorant, and I can quite confidently say that we've been using it since puberty. Was there perhaps an injury with an exposed shoulder blade?
Perhaps a weight accidentally struck and ripped someone's shoulder blade where the protection of a thin cotton layer of t-shirt could have been?
Regardless of the rationale, I and countless others, just do not understand. Please allow us the freedom of movement, the feeling of cool air on our shoulders, and the aesthetic beauty of the sleeveless shirt to make its return to the Whittemore Center.
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