USC Gym Implements Gender-Based Access Changes

In an initiative aimed at enhancing comfort for women and non-binary individuals, the University of Southern California (USC) has decided to restrict access for men in specific areas of its campus gym. This change is part of an ongoing effort to create a more inclusive environment for all gym users.

The Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment (SAGE) collaborated with the Lyon Center, which is the university’s recreation facility, to advocate for these new rules. SAGE positions itself as a student organization focused on intersectional feminism and aims to amplify marginalized voices.

The plan includes making a section of the Robinson Room, within the Lyon Center, off-limits to men on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. According to the Daily Trojan, a university student newspaper, this move is designed to foster a more comfortable space for those who feel uneasy in a male-dominated gym setting.

Neuroscience student Menze Wu expressed that this change is essential for her to work out comfortably. “My past experiences in male-dominated spaces have been quite unpleasant,” she explained. “Unless you really assert yourself, you often struggle to feel like you belong. It’s just… complicated.”

Yana Al-Najjar, a second-year student majoring in philosophy, politics, and law, who also acts as SAGE’s advocacy liaison, echoed Wu’s sentiments. She mentioned that numerous female and non-binary students have indicated that they hesitate to use the gym due to feeling judged or frequently approached. “It’s a real issue. This discomfort can eventually lead to students avoiding the gym altogether,” she pointed out.

University regulations state that usage of the Recreation Center is open to authorized students, staff, and faculty without any form of discrimination. Al-Najjar noted that implementing these changes took months of careful planning, involving many discussions since last fall about the feasibility of creating such a space.

“Conversing back and forth about university constraints and regulations took time,” she stated. “The goal was to establish a space for women and non-binary students while still keeping it accessible for everyone.”

In an update, USC has yet to provide a response regarding this initiative.

Previously, in October 2025, the Trump administration had USC along with eight other universities under scrutiny, influencing funding preferences based on adherence to specific conservative policies. Additionally, the university faced federal action for not adequately protecting Jewish students from anti-Semitic harassment.