Feminine Rage with Hannah Lowell: PSU women respond to WPH controversy

Hannah Lowell 

She/Her

Columnist, SGA Member at Large ‘26 & Commuter Rep. 

11/8/23

Hey girl slays, gays, and they’s! The hot topic across campus this past week has been centered around Women’s Power Hour in the HUB gym. Why you may ask? Because a Student Government Association representative from the Class of ‘25 stated that he felt like WPH violated Title IX and that no one, based on sex, should be turned away. By ‘no one,’ he is referring to men who shouldn’t be turned away. 

Let’s break this down. Title IX can be defined as prohibiting discrimination based on sex in any education program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. Sex discrimination includes but is not limited to sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and quid pro quo harassment. Let’s be real for a moment, it takes less than thirty seconds to do a quick Google search to find the definition of Title IX. Within that thirty-second search, you’d find that Women’s Power Hour falls into ZERO of the categories listed previously. If anything, one of the reasons why WPH was created and is currently protected is because Title IX exists. 

Now that some background knowledge has been said, I want to show how females of the student body feel about this attack on WPH and let their voices be heard. 

“As a female, I am always worried about getting harassed and catcalled. Women’s Power Hour has empowered so many of us in more aspects than just the gym. It’s provided a safe place to workout free of harassment and unwanted attention. It’s ridiculous to me that a man has nothing better to do with his time and is trying to tear us down and take the four hours a week away.”

Gabby Von George ‘27

“I have been nervous to use the gym at school, and can’t afford to have a gym membership outside of it. I previously had an unhealthy relationship with the gym and power hour has given me the opportunity to overcome that as well as get more comfortable with the equipment. I would be sad to see it go, I know it’s helped a lot of women do the same thing. It doesn’t make sense why the guys can’t sacrifice two hours out of the week when any other time they’re overpowering the gym…”

Anonymous

“I feel as though this whole situation is a sad representation of why we need Women’s Power Hour. Even today, on this campus women and their needs are still seen as an unfair inconvenience. Just because a group needs an accommodation to feel safe doesn’t mean another group is being harmed. It’s sad people still don’t understand that.”

Avery Opland ‘25

“…Women’s Power Hour aims to create a safe space for women, by women, to be able to work out and partake in physical activity; point blank. So, to hear that the integrity of such an event is being questioned, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Though I only know so much about WPH, I think it’s safe to say that they do not operate on some anti-male agenda, and I’m baffled as to why someone would think otherwise…I hope readers of the Clock take away the fact that female-led spaces in any and all academic, professional, creative, and/or social setting are extremely important to have in our community. Such spaces should be valued and continue to exist, here at PSU, and elsewhere.”

Daniela Duque-Loaiza ‘26

“I feel like the Women’s Power Hour benefits women of all skill levels in the gym. Women who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable in the gym sometimes need the support of other ladies without the worry of being judged by men when it comes to looks, form, weight, etc. It also benefits women who are comfortable with the gym equipment and know what they are doing, and are just looking for a more comfortable place to workout…It only takes two hours out of the entire seven days the gym is open, and the new Sunday sessions don’t even ‘interrupt’ normal hours as it is held ‘after hours’. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Women’s Power Hour, and it does nothing to discriminate against men.”

Jett Lucas ‘26

The female population of the student body is pissed. We are mad that a program such as Women’s Power Hour has to exist at all. We are mad that an opportunity that allows women to feel safe, supported, and comfortable in the gym wants to be taken away from a man; the reason to which this program was built. We are mad that men have such a narrow vision that makes them think that an opportunity to help women feel safe in the gym violates their rights when it isn’t about them. The world was set up for men to get everything they wanted and to never feel like they aren’t safe in a place like the gym. Men on campus, especially the one who started all of this, need to learn a valuable life lesson: Equal rights and equity for others doesn’t mean less for you.