Men Only Sports Clubs

[AvengingAngel]

AIBU to be sick of this Golf Club being men only? I know for sure if it were "straight" only, "white" only there would be a frenzy. It's just indicative of how it's more acceptable to be sexist than any other "ist". Grrr!

equalityedge.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/men-only-sports-club-unacceptable/

Why is is ok to have women only swims or women only gyms equity works both ways

Avenging - you seem to be completely avoiding the counter-arguments that many of us have pointed out that there are female only clubs to harp on again solely about this one golf club.

You can't have it both ways. You must either want ALL clubs to be mixed and that INCLUDES gyms or you must accept that there can be all-male AND all-female clubs.

Or do you think it's acceptable for there to be female-only clubs?

I actually play golf and I would love an all women club. Women generally play golf at a different pace to men (slower because we can't hit it as far) and it is annoying to keep having to let people through. I would never want to be a member at a championship course because it would be too long and too hard, even off the ladies' tees. My local course struggles to get lady members because it is not enjoyable for us to play. Lundin Ladies, which is 9 holes and women only would be great if it was closer. Am I sexist?

An all male gold club near me has recently started to accept women. Lot of the men are not happy though as the women beat them in the battle of the sexes tournament a few weeks back

I really cannot rationalise this in my mind.

The notion of a club where membership is restricted by race seems truly abhorrent.

But somehow the idea of clubs where males wish to mix with other males and vice verse for women does seem quite reasonable.

Maybe I'm being hypocritical, but I don't think so. I just can't put my finger on the differences between the two situations.

I actually NEVER said it was acceptable to have women only clubs. I think the idea of enforced segragation based on gender is ridiculous. Also as St Georges golf club is open to the publci and charges fees, it is very near to beign a service and NOT a private members club, making what they do utterly illegal.

But women can play at Royal st George's, just as male visitors can, but they can't be members. So the service aspect is not exclusively male. Partners and daughters of members play for free. They are hosting the Ladies british open championship this year and have previously hosted the Curtis Cup.

Which as I have said is even WORSE! They are pretending to be a private members club, whilst taking green fees, making them a public service and therefore breaking the law through outright discrimination! And the bloody Open is held there!

Total eerie coincidence, but very relevant.

www.golfclubmanagement.net/2014/03/dont-copy-burgess-plea-women-vote/

NotNew as I said earlier, I think female only clubs are just as ridiculous. I look forward to a future where people have the choice whether to join or not, not based on a rule compelling them not to.

There used to be quite a lot of male/female segregation in athletics and its now mainly gone now. Women of similar standards to male athletes, who tend to be physically faster/stronger often race in joint races. Clubs are open to men and women, usually they run the same distances, at the same championships.

Lessmissabs that is what equality is and it should be like that and I would agree with you entirely.

The govt should ship letters to all single sex clubs informing them that they need to change or face closure.

YANBU. I think it's either a golf club or a men's purely social club but it can't be both. (Same goes for women's clubs.)
I don't think being a private club is a legitimate excuse. You can't set up a private club to break other laws (a murder club? a burglars' club?) and how are the laws on discrimination different?

I think it's to be welcomed. It keeps all those kind of people you really wouldn't want to mix with in one place.

Stand outside the club selling false beards if it really bothers you.

Although I suppose golf clubs probably don't allow them either.

I seem to recall some humourist in the early Edwardian period when the suffragette movement was really kicking off saying that while the women were chaining themselves to building and crying "Votes for Women" he would go and chain himself outside the maternity hospitals and cry "Beds for Men"

His point being, not that he disagreed with votes for women, but that there will always be some areas where equality isn't going to be absolute - sometimes out of necessity and others simple preference - and we need to accept that and not try and bulldoze everything to one side.

I actually NEVER said it was acceptable to have women only clubs. I think the idea of enforced segragation based on gender is ridiculous.

Yet it's only the men only club you seem to have a problem with. You're not picking at any of the women only clubs and complaining that they're sexist because they don't allow men. Your entire post was focused purely on the men only sports clubs and you ignored the women only one.

Are single sex schools sexist too I wonder...

While you're at it, Avenging, shall we abolish the Women's Institute and Mother's Union?

What about Lady Freemasons and Gentlemen Freemasons should they forced to join each others Lodges.

What about Lady Freemasons and Gentlemen Freemasons should they forced to join each others Lodges.

The government should write to EVERY Brownie pack in the country. These outdated hotbeds of sexism MUST NOT be allowed to carry on.

Or maybe it just doesn't matter? I really can't be bothered to waste any more time thinking about it.