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A Sikh man with a kirpan was asked to leave a GoodLife gym. Here's what to know
A gym in Windsor, Ont., has become a talking point online after a Sikh man posted a video of an employee asking him to leave for wearing a kirpan. Here’s what to know.
What was the incident?In a video posted to TikTok by a Sikh fitness influencer posting under the name “dreambodygurp,” an unseen female employee at a GoodLife Fitness Centre in Windsor talks with the man, who says: “You’re scared that I’m going to take this religious symbol and kill somebody.”
The woman replies: “What I’m saying is that you have a weapon on your person, a member has brought it to my attention, and for the safety of me and everybody else in the gym, I’m asking you to leave.” She adds: “We’re a private gym and we’re allowed to deny access.”
What is a kirpan?Although not visible in the video, a kirpan is a ceremonial dagger and an article of faith worn by observant Sikhs. It is one of the “five Ks,” alongside kesh (uncut hair and beard), kangha (a wooden comb), kara (a steel bracelet) and kachhera (an undergarment).
What does the law say about the kirpan?Because it is both a symbol of faith and a potential weapon, the kirpan has been the subject of debate and bans over the years.
However, in 2006 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that a total ban on kirpans violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms , and that Canadian institutions had a duty to accommodate Sikhs who chose to wear one.
Similarly, a 2012 Ontario Human Rights Commission ruling allowed kirpans to be worn in Toronto courthouses, after complaints from people who arrived for a trial or jury duty and were told to remove it.
Organizations will sometimes balance these rights with limits, however. As an example, the policy at Humber Polytechnic is to allow students and teachers to wear a kirpan, but notes: they may be asked to present a letter confirming their faith; the kirpan may not be longer than seven inches; and it must be worn under clothing, not visibly.
The college also notes: “The right to wear the kirpan may be suspended if it is misused by the wearer.”
The seven-inch rule can be found in other documents. In videos in which the man’s kirpan is visible, it appears to exceed that length.
What’s the Quebec situation?Quebec’s Bill 21 prohibits the wearing of religious symbols by public school teachers and other authority figures while on the job. That includes the kirpan.
What was GoodLife’s response?In an email to National Post, Tracy Matthews, senior vice-president of experience and safety at GoodLife Fitness, said: “Regarding the wearing of the kirpan in businesses, the Ontario government is responsible for drafting and passing human rights laws for the province, which businesses like GoodLife are required to follow.”
She added: “The Ontario Human Rights Commission provides guidance regarding the interpretation and application of Human Rights laws in Ontario, including topics like this.”
Matthews also responded to online rumours that the female employee had lost her job. “No one has been, nor will be, terminated as a result of the interaction in our Windsor club,” she said. “Information to the contrary is false.”
She added: “We continue to support our employees and the entire GoodLife community. GoodLife Fitness provides a welcoming and safe community, and we will continue to strive to maintain that environment for everyone who comes to our clubs.”
Meanwhile, a letter posted to TikTok by the man from the gym, and purported to be from Kelly Musovic, senior director of experience and safety at GoodLife, offers an apology and says in part: “What happened to you was not okay, and was not a reflection of our policies and values.”
It continues: “Our policy states, verbatim; ‘The Kirpan is a knife carried by some Associates or Members who practice Sikhism. Sikh Associates or Members can carry a Kirpan on their person because it is a requirement of their religion.'”
GoodLife’s website does not include that policy, but does state : “We promote equitable opportunities and treatment for all people, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, physical or mental ability, disability, physical appearance, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or nationality. We believe in treating everyone with respect and consideration.”
National Post has reached out to Musovic for more information.
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Unpublished Newswire
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