The University of Southern California has introduced a controversial new policy at its campus gym, temporarily banning male students from a designated portion of the facility. This decision follows repeated complaints from female and non-binary students who expressed feeling uncomfortable due to the behavior of their male peers in the shared exercise space.
Trial Period for Gender-Restricted Gym Hours
According to reports from the Daily Trojan, USC's official student newspaper, the trial period will run from April 6 through May 15. During this timeframe, men will be prohibited from entering the Robinson Room at the Lyon Center on Mondays and Wednesdays between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM. This represents a significant departure from the university's standard policy of keeping all facilities open to every student and faculty member regardless of gender identity.
Student-Led Initiative Behind the Change
The policy change was championed by the Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment (SAGE), a campus organization that describes itself as a "queer and trans inclusive" group focused on addressing gender-related concerns within the university community. SAGE's advocacy liaison, sophomore Jana Alnajjar, explained to campus media that the initiative emerged after numerous students shared distressing experiences of being regularly approached or subjected to uncomfortable scrutiny while attempting to exercise.
"Over time, that discomfort leads them to stop trying to go to the gym altogether," Alnajjar stated, highlighting how these negative interactions were creating barriers to physical wellness for certain student populations. She emphasized that the restricted space aims to provide a safer, more welcoming environment where women and non-binary individuals can work out without anxiety.
Student Testimonials Highlight Ongoing Concerns
Multiple students have voiced support for the temporary policy. Mengze Wu, a senior neuroscience major, told reporters that she frequently positions herself near other women during workouts to feel more at ease. "My past experiences with being in enclosed spaces where it's very men-dominated has never been super pleasant," Wu explained, reflecting a sentiment shared by numerous peers.
The implementation process faced considerable challenges, according to Alnajjar, who noted that months of planning and negotiations with Lyon Center administrators were required. Federal restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives initially hampered proposals, creating doubts about whether the gender-specific hours would ever become reality given the university's commitment to nondiscriminatory access.
Limited Scope and Future Ambitions
Importantly, the restricted area will not encompass the entire Robinson Room floor space. Organizers hope that between twenty and forty students will utilize the designated hours during the trial period. If participation meets expectations, SAGE intends to lobby university officials for expanded space allocation and longer dedicated hours beyond the current limited timeframe.
Broader Political Context at USC
This gym policy development occurs against a complex political backdrop at the University of Southern California. In October 2025, USC was among nine institutions that received President Donald Trump's "Compact for Academic Excellence," a voluntary proposal offering preferential funding opportunities to universities complying with specific administration requests.
These requests included prohibiting race or gender considerations in admissions processes, limiting international student enrollment, and implementing zero-tolerance policies against viewpoint discrimination targeting conservative voices. Like most recipients, USC ultimately declined to formally sign the compact agreement, though some administrators expressed openness to incorporating certain elements.
Interim President Beong-Soo Kim articulated the university's position in an October 16 communication, stating, "We are concerned that even though the Compact would be voluntary, tying research benefits to it would, over time, undermine the same values of free inquiry and academic excellence that the Compact seeks to promote."
While no institutions faced direct punishment for rejecting the compact, some experienced federal funding freezes for unrelated reasons. Brown University, for instance, restored $510 million in frozen funds in July 2025 after negotiating with federal authorities, while the University of Pennsylvania regained $175 million in grants after committing to restrict transgender females from women's sports programs.
The Daily Mail approached USC administration representatives for additional commentary regarding the new gym policy, but no further statements have been released at this time. The six-week trial period will provide crucial data about student utilization and the potential for permanent implementation of gender-specific gym hours at the University of Southern California.
