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Original poster

What is proportionate discriminations?

28 replies

MIdgebabe · 11/05/2019 06:34

Inspired by taxi thread. Generalising . Expecting a diversity of opinions exist

IN an ideal world there would be no sex based discriminations. Sex based discrimination is allowed where it is a proportionate response to ensure women can fully participate.

But I suspect that allowing sex based discrimination reinforces notions that because women are needing help they are therefore lesser in some way....so we should limit sex separation not just for fairness but also to reduce gender stereotyping?

Is the balance today broadly correct? This could be country specific ...I am in the uk. For me , anywhere where women are naked should be sex separated. Which does mean Male midwives are excluded. Women’s sports nessessity, But not girls and boys sports. AWS I am less sure about. Ditto taxis. Def not things like ladies-only pamper evenings or men only clubs

OP posts:
Ereshkigal · 11/05/2019 07:56

My gender is technically irrelevant, but there are underlying perceptions and unconscious attitudes.

If you mean your sex, mate, no it really isn't irrelevant to many women receiving intimate care.

Ereshkigal · 11/05/2019 07:55

Talking of male midwives, the Guardian had this article about the "sexism" one faced because women didn't want him to treat them:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/09/tutor-not-job-man-roofer-male-midwife-nhs

I’m 50 now and have encountered a certain amount of sexism in my career. I’ve had 118 people – mostly women – refuse to be cared for by me. I have had other patients who were shocked to see a man; there was one who didn’t say anything, but the look of total shock on her face was very funny.

Oh it's hilarious when women are uncomfortable and don't feel they can express it, truly. Arsehole.

EluphNaugeMeop · 11/05/2019 07:39

I don't think the nakedness issue is the clincher so long as individual women can make a free choice. eg no problem with male midwives so long as each woman has an option to say "no, sorry I need a woman" - some women won't care. Equally some women may be fine getting changed in a mixed-sex area and that is fine so long as individual private cubicles or single sex areas are also available.

Proportionate means weighing the harm done by the discrimination against the benefit brought. "Discrimination" itself just means recognising differences and making a choice. That's not wrong. What is wrong is making the choice based on preconceptions and biases. Culturally we still have a lot of subconscious sexism. Men are far more likely to be given positions of power and responsibility than women. All-Women shortlists, scholarships and opportunities are proportione and reasonable measures to address this because the harm done to males - who will still have plenty of opportunities to thrive as there will be plenty of options which are open to all - is far outweighed by the benefit of redressing the cultural biases which have put additional barriers in the path of female candidates meaning that talent would otherwise go unrecognised.

We should keep monitoring outcomes and opportunities and be open to winding down all-female opportunities once their purpose is fulfilled and the cultural biases are truly confined to history, but that will be decades away.