Muslim woman says roller-skating rink discriminated against her

[웃 910]

Muslim woman says roller-skating rink discriminated against her

A Muslim woman claims that a Connecticut roller-skating rink discriminated against her because it wouldn't allow her to skate in her headscarf.

Marisol Rodriguez-Colon, 40, said she was "mortified" when she and another female relative showed up for a niece's birthday party at the Ron-A-Roll rink in Vernon and were barred at the door.

The venue's rules, posted at the entrance, read: "No Hats. No Headwear. No Exceptions."

Colon said her religious hijab shouldn't count under that policy -- and tried to appeal to a rink manager.

"We wear this for religious reasons," Colon said. "But they didn't want to hear that."

The manager, Colon said, gave the women two choices: take off the headscarves, or wear a helmet over them.

Taking off the hijabs was "not an option," Colon told WTIC-TV in Hartford.

She said she has worn the traditional headscarf for 16 years and has it on "wherever I go."

She and the other relative went back to their car and missed the party.

"I wear this with pride," Colon said. "I was mortified -- by asking someone to wear a helmet you are actually ostracizing us.

"You are singling us out and showing everyone there is an issue -- that something is wrong with these two women."

Ron-A-Roll management issued a statement spelling out its "no headwear" policy. It said helmets are offered for safety purposes.

"You are not allowed -- you are not welcome here. That is what that says to me," Colon said of the statement.

She said she was insulted that the rink would deny entrance to people "because of what they believe and what they are wearing because of those beliefs."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations said yesterday it filed a complaint with Connecticut's Human Rights Commission.

Several years ago, University of Albany student Zahra Shah was barred from wearing her headscarf at an upstate New York roller rink.

That arena, citing insurance reasons, also banned headwear.

An employee at the time told Shah that other skaters could trip and get hurt if the hijab fell off.

When Shah explained that she wore the scarf for religious reasons, one rink employee told her it was like a cowboy "religiously" wearing a cowboy hat.

After a barrage of phone calls from activist groups and others, the rink management apologized and said Shah could skate with her headscarf.

http://www.nypost.co...L#ixzz16PmYBQ4U

Edited November 26, 2010 by Lord Infamous

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Oh god... shut this ###### up....

Waaaaaaaaah, they won't let me go into this private business, waaaaaaaahh..

Get the F- over yourself and open your own skating rink that allows head coverings.

[Brad and Vika 129]

Post attacking member removed. Personal attacks are a TOS violation. Fair warning.

[zqt3344 21]

Post attacking member removed. Personal attacks are a TOS violation. Fair warning.

Was not attacking anyone, If anyone attacked anyone it was muslims attacking NYC world trade center on 9/11! I see how this works only more liberal feel good PC stuff here!

[scandal 951]

IBTL

[zqt3344 21]

RHMT

[Ban Hammer 12,845]

IBTL

ibtb.

[scandal 951]

ibtb.

Those "b"'s are coming thick and furious of late....

[ready4ONE 5,400]

It's nice they compromised everyones safety and apologized for their thoughtless concern for safety...

[sara..... 371]

I guess im having a problem understanding how it is a safety problem.........i have three sisters that play basketball, volley ball and run track they all wear hijab and they don't come off if they are put on properly there has never been an issue with theirs at all.......i also wear hijab and have never had a problem with it coming off.

sara

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I guess im having a problem understanding how it is a safety problem.........i have three sisters that play basketball, volley ball and run track they all wear hijab and they don't come off if they are put on properly there has never been an issue with theirs at all.......i also wear hijab and have never had a problem with it coming off.

sara

hats and similar can fall/get knocked off and get caught in skates... As they said, it's an insurance thing. You'd be surprised the requirements/things you can do for a better rate lol...

[sara..... 371]

hats and similar can fall/get knocked off and get caught in skates... As they said, it's an insurance thing. You'd be surprised the requirements/things you can do for a better rate lol...

then im assuming they have had a problem in the past as we have never had any problems roller skating or ice skating no one has ever made it an issue

sara

[Ban Hammer 12,845]

I guess im having a problem understanding how it is a safety problem.........i have three sisters that play basketball, volley ball and run track they all wear hijab and they don't come off if they are put on properly there has never been an issue with theirs at all.......i also wear hijab and have never had a problem with it coming off.

sara

it may also affect one's peripheral vision.

[sara..... 371]

it may also affect one's peripheral vision.

how?

sara

hmmm after thinking about it you could be right depending on how they wear their hijab

Edited November 27, 2010 by sara.....

[Nagishkaw 510]

The manager, Colon said, gave the women two choices: take off the headscarves, or wear a helmet over them.

She had the option of wearing a helmet so she didn't HAVE to leave the arena. She chose to leave on her own. Her decision.

The venue's rules, posted at the entrance, read: "No Hats. No Headwear. No Exceptions."

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