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Original poster

Women only train carriages? really????

253 replies

TheoriginalLEM · 26/08/2015 10:40

So, i quite liked Jeremy Corbyn as a runner for opposition leadership. Down to earth, gritty etc...

Then he has the idea of women only train carriages to avoid sexual harrassment? What next? Women not allowed in pubs in case we have our sensitivities hurt hearing the odd F word?

Its a brilliant idea, why waste all our energies on trying to change attitudes, just keep the poor loves in their own safe little carriages. Will they be painted pink with little make up mirrors on the back of the seats?

Don't stop there - we can abolish sexual harrasment in the workplace by having women only offices. Of course certain jobs have a predominantly male workforce so women are going to have to step down from those career choices and stick to something more feminine instead....

Foot. Shot. Self. himself!

OP posts:
IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou · 26/08/2015 13:20

Do you really want to keep the status quo until perfection can be achieved? Because it will be a long wait and I haven't got that long.

Do you really want to sit somewhere segregated by your sex? Maybe you could wear a full body covering when you're out & about in public to stop those pesky men looking at you or harassing you...

(Never been on a train where the toilets are all broken BTW)

IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou · 26/08/2015 13:21

What happens if the train is full apart from the womens carriage? I know I'd be pretty pissed off if I couldn't get on or had to stand and there was a half empty carriage there......

IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou · 26/08/2015 13:22

Not so sure about the motivation of those who want to prevent them being a choice for others

Because it's a backwards step, would you be happy with "Blacks only" carriages to prevent racist abuse?

RaisinGirls · 26/08/2015 13:27

Part of the issue is that some (me included) would have wanted and expected a labour leadership candidate (or any politician) not to have responded to the women only carriages suggestion, not with a oh yes, I can certainly consult women on that approach.

I would have wanted him to have expressed an opinion similar to some of the eloquent points expressed here- that segregation is not the answer, that the real answer lies in a mix of enforcing the law, educating boys and men and increasing safety measures.

And actually let's also be aware that a lot (most?) assaults committed on public transport seems to be man on man violence, and some of the most vulnerable travellers of an evening are young men.

BarbarianMum · 26/08/2015 13:28
UhtredOfBebbanburg · 26/08/2015 13:28

Worried I too feel safe on London transport. I sometimes (late at night) don't feel safe on FGW or SWT though. London is not, surprisingly enough, the whole country.

ProvisionallyAnxious · 26/08/2015 13:30

I would have wanted him to have expressed an opinion similar to some of the eloquent points expressed here- that segregation is not the answer, that the real answer lies in a mix of enforcing the law, educating boys and men and increasing safety measures.

Absolutely fair RaisinGirls. I get the impression that Corbyn is a little uncomfortable on women's issues - not in the sense that he's proactively against trying to improve things, but more that it's way out of his comfort / experience zone, which is why he seems to be hedging his bets rather than coming out with clear opinions of his own...?

UhtredOfBebbanburg · 26/08/2015 13:31

IKnowIAm Do you really want to sit somewhere segregated by your sex?

On a lte night long distance train journey? Yep.

Maybe you could wear a full body covering when you're out & about in public Some days that might be a mercy for everyone.

UhtredOfBebbanburg · 26/08/2015 13:32

IKnowIAm Never been on a train where the toilets are all broken BTW

I'm sorry you don't get out much but that's really not my problem.

maybebabybee · 26/08/2015 13:33

I don't really understand why people are saying this is segregation because it isn't. It's for women to choose if they would want to sit in a women only carriage or not. It's not enforced that they must sit there.

I don't personally see what's wrong with women having a safe place to sit if they choose to do so.

BoomBoomsCousin · 26/08/2015 13:39

Everywhere should be a safe place for women to sit.

ProvisionallyAnxious · 26/08/2015 13:40

Everywhere should be a safe place for women to sit.

This. Creating a specific space for women to be safe is a tacit admission that we can't achieve the above.

BarbarianMum · 26/08/2015 13:40

Yes BoomBoom but it isn't. This is especially true on public transport. The question is, what do we do about that?

SansaryaAgain · 26/08/2015 13:42

It's a shame the media have seized upon the train carriages, as some of the other things he said about ending street harassment were actually pretty good.

BoomBoomsCousin · 26/08/2015 13:43

It isn't especially true on public transport. At least, not more so for women than for men.

Segregated carriages pander to fear, but do not prevent assault.

GraysAnalogy · 26/08/2015 13:43

We carry on what we're doing and fighting to make it better, not throw in the towel oh fuck it we'll just have our own carriage. I know you think we can continue to do so AND have the carriage but it won't work. It'll just be another thing thrown at us 'well you have your carriage why didnt you sit there' and I can see women being moved from uni sex carriages to the female one if there's any trouble instead of the trouble maker being thrown off.

ProvisionallyAnxious · 26/08/2015 13:45

The question is, what do we do about that?

As PPs have suggested, have more staff on late night trains, which would help prevent harassment to all passengers, male or female.

GoblinLittleOwl · 26/08/2015 13:46

Why are you surprised about any of Jeremy Corbyn's ideas; they are scarcely original , mostly unworkable and years out of date?

mabythesea · 26/08/2015 13:46

Consulting with women is unworkable and out of date Goblin?

GraysAnalogy · 26/08/2015 13:47

And like I've said, males are the ones who are more likely to be attacked. But it seems the focus is in preventing abuse between the sexes instead of between human beings.

maybebabybee · 26/08/2015 13:49

Everywhere should be a safe place for women to sit.

Yes, but it isn't. What do you propose to do about it in the meantime.

Focusfocus · 26/08/2015 13:53

India has this (i am indian) and for very good reason.

I am genuinely surprised that things have reached a point where UK is considering it. I am not comfortable with it at all. At all. its the wrong solution to a very wrong situation.

LazyLohan · 26/08/2015 13:53

I suspect given Corbyn's leanings this may also have something to do with accommodating the wishes of Muslim voters.

RaisinGirls · 26/08/2015 13:55

I don't know if he is uncomfortable about gender issues, but he certainly doesn't seem to have a coherent position . He could have taken time at any point in his campaign to 'consult' with organisations like The Fawcett Society' to understand the issues and help formulate solutions which reflect his political position.

It's a sad day (for me) when it's just Tory MPs who are criticising him and I find myself agreeing with them ShockShockShock someone feel free to post a link to criticisms from left of centre!

UhtredOfBebbanburg · 26/08/2015 13:56

Grays lots of women have already thrown in the towel by opting not to travel on late night trains. I will no longer schedule meetings or accept engagements that mean I have to get the 'pisshead express' (I use the word express here in its traditional fashion - meaing very very slow stopping at everywhere you have heard of and lots of places you haven't) home. I either reschedule, say no or end up staying in a hotel in London which materially damages my family life (I see less of my kids my cats and my husband). I'd like to feel able to get the late night train back again, women only carriages would facilitate that. There are measures I'd prefer which I have outlined above but absent them, and they would probably take time and money and argument to implement, women only carriages is a good quick fix.

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