At 33 years old, Ghallatt Jhmedou Nass went to the gym for the first time.
Attending mixed-gendered gyms poses unique challenges for Muslim women like Nass, who balance dressing modestly and comfort while working out. Nass explained that performing dynamic movements in modest garments like an abaya – which is similar to a long dress – is tricky.
In the fall of 2024, the Greater Lansing Islamic Society opened a women-only gym in the Islamic Center of East Lansing. Women who work out at the gym are able to wear shorts and t-shirts, instead of an abaya or hijab that they would wear at a traditional gym…