University bans yoga classes

A free yoga class has been cancelled because of fears of offending Indians. Photo / Getty

It was meant to help students keep fit and unwind.

But a free yoga class has been cancelled at a university in Canada because of fears of offending Indians, where the practice originated.

It is just the latest example of extreme political correctness on campuses at home and abroad, which has seen debates shut down and prominent speakers silenced.

In this instance, yoga teacher Jennifer Scharf was shocked to be told her weekly class, which has run since 2008, had raised unacceptable 'cultural issues' for Ottawa University's Student Federation, which pays for the session.

A student official explained in an email that yoga had "been under a lot of controversy" because it originated in a country that has "experienced oppression, cultural genocide and diasporas due to colonialism and western supremacy".

The official added: "We need to be mindful of this and how we express ourselves while practising yoga."

In other words, because the discipline originated in India, a country that had been subjected to British "colonial oppression", it shouldn't necessarily be practised by people of other races and nationalities, who could be accused of trivialising Indian culture.

It is all part of a growing war on so-called "cultural appropriation", when westerners adopt features of less-dominant cultures.

Also banned:

Sombreros

Earlier this month, Mexican sombreros and fake moustaches were banned from a fancy dress party at the Univeristy of Birmingham, after the items were deemed racist.

Feather headdresses

Glastonbury music festival banned Native American feather headdresses from being sold on site, while pop stars including Ellie Goulding and Pixie Lott have all faced public censure for wearing them.

Miss Scharf ran the beginner's yoga sessions at Ottawa University's Centre for Students with Disabilities for around 60 disabled and able-bodied students.

She responded to the Student Federation saying that she was only trying to help students stay fit and healthy. "I'm not pretending to be some enlightened yogi master and the point isn't to educate people on the finer points of the ancient yogi scripture," she added.

Acting Student Federation president Romeo Ahimakin said his body wanted to find a way of ensuring "students are aware of where the spiritual and and cultural aspects come from, so that these sessions are done in a respectful manner".

Miss Scharf told the Ottawa Sun: "People are just looking for a reason to be offended by anything they can find."

Some Hindu groups claim yoga is an integral part of their religion and object to the secularisation of the practice which has become a multi-billion pound global industry.

In the UK, there is growing concern that extreme political correctness is damaging free speech at universities. Oxford cancelled a debate on abortion following protests that it was being conducted between two men, and the Cambridge Union was asked to withdraw an invitation to Germaine Greer because of her outspoken views on transgender issues.

- Daily Mail