There have been a flurry of lawsuits recently over whether businesses can deny service to gays and lesbians due to religious objections. But can a company design a yoga class specifically for people of color? That’s exactly what Rainier Beach Yoga in Seattle is doing with its once a month yoga class, but the plan has some observers crying foul.

Co-founder of the class, Teresa Wang, told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson, according to MYNorthwest.com ,that “yoga for people of color” was started by five queer people of color who came together to create a safe space:

An email blast about the class says it’s aimed at people of color and of all sexualities, ages, body sizes, abilities, genders, and experience with yoga. It specifically identifies “lesbian, bisexual, gay, queer and trans-friendly/affirming,” plus people who self-identify as “African American/black/of the African Diaspora, Asian, South Asian, West Asian/Arab/Middle Eastern, Pacific Islander, First Nations/Alaskan Native/Native American/Indigenous, Chican/Latin, or Multiracial/Mixed-Race.” The email adds that “white friends, allies and partners are respectfully asked not to attend.”

Wang wasn’t clear on what would happen if a white person tried to attend a yoga class.

“Well, it’s a class for people of color, so he would be coming to that class knowing that we’re really clear about who we are asking to come to class, so…I’m not really sure because it hasn’t happened to us,” Wang said. “So I don’t really know.”

Dori said excluding people based on race is a problem.

“It would be a lead story on national news,” he said. “It would be blared across all the websites about the racist yoga class in Seattle. And the fact is, this yoga class is every bit as racist as a bunch of white people who say they don’t want to be around somebody of color. That’s why I wouldn’t want to attend either one of those classes … The fact is, they are both racist.”