VOA慢速英语2019--俄罗斯南部最大的穆斯林游泳池禁止妇女游泳

The largest swimming pool in Russia's Muslim-majority North Caucasus area has banned all women from using the pool.

Rights groups and others criticized the new policy, calling it discrimination.

The pool is part of a large sports and spa center near Makhachkala, capital of the Russian republic of Dagestan. The center announced its policy change Monday on the Instagram social media service. "From Jan. 20 onwards attendance of the pool is open only to men," the message said.

Three women from Dagestan brought an official complaint to the local Prosecutor's Office, Reuters news agency reported. The complaint states that the ban violates the constitution because it discriminates¹ based on gender².

However, the operators of the pool said they made the decision for financial reasons. The center explained on Instagram that previously³, women were permitted to visit the pool on Fridays for woman-only sessions. The Instagram messages were reported by Russia's state-operated RIA news agency.

The center said that very few women came to visit on Fridays. Because of this lack of business, "the difficult decision was made that keeping days for women open in our pool was not viable⁴," the pool operators said on Instagram.

Fatima Abdulkhalimova is a 31-year-old former professional swimmer and a swim teacher at the pool. She questioned that reasoning. She noted⁵ that if having women-only days was not working financially, the pool could return to its earlier system. In the past, men and women could share the pool at the same time.

Abdulkhalimova added that she thinks the decision has something to do with religion. "I believe it is because a lot of religious guys come here," she said.

In the North Caucasus, many people hold traditional social and religious beliefs. It is common for sports centers in the area to separate the days of use for men and women. But activists⁶ say a complete ban on women violates Russia's constitution.

One of the women who brought an official complaint is Svetlana Anokhina. She is the editor of a locally-based internet website that addresses women's rights issues. She told Reuters the practice of separating public spaces by gender was on the rise in the area.

"I have a daughter here and she has three daughters too. I'm angry because... I'm afraid for them. I don't want them to live in a special ghetto⁷ for women," Anokhina said.

Another woman who said she had often used the pool said she had been refused a membership pass last month. Commenting on Instagram, the woman wrote that the pool's operators told her she couldn't buy a pass because there was not enough locker⁸ room space for men.

Words in This Story

spa – n. a place where people go to improve their health by exercising or bathing in special water

complaint – n. a statement that something is wrong or unacceptable

viable – adj. effective and able to be successful

ghetto – n. an area of a city where people of a particular race or religion live, especially a poor area

locker – n. a small space in a public area where personal belongings can be kept

1 discriminates   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。
• One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

2 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 ghetto   

n.少数民族聚居区，贫民区

参考例句：

• Racism and crime still flourish in the ghetto.城市贫民区的种族主义和犯罪仍然十分猖獗。
• I saw that achievement as a possible pattern for the entire ghetto.我把获得的成就看作整个黑人区可以仿效的榜样。

8 locker   

n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人

参考例句：

• At the swimming pool I put my clothes in a locker.在游泳池我把衣服锁在小柜里。
• He moved into the locker room and began to slip out of his scrub suit.他走进更衣室把手术服脱下来。