The effect of whataboutery

[JellySlice]

In an attempt to improve children's health, and improve access to exercise for young people from BAME communities, the council suggested female-only swim sessions.

Sounds a good idea, no?

Read the article.

But also notice the unambiguous language.

This is a bit of an odd article, mainly because it seems to leave some things out.

It's not clear to me why these complaints would lead to them cancelling the women only sessions. if men want men only sessions, why not offer them as well? At worst, they won't be attended and then they can stop holding them. At best, they serve another population that's not being served. Even if the complaints were insincere I think that would e a reasonable response, but if there is a population of Muslim women wanting separate swimming sessions there could easily also be men who would like them as well.

"Why don't we do men-only sessions?"

Not that men want men-only sessions, but that they were complaining about the apparent unfairness. I'd like to know how the council responded to the complaint? Did they explain the reasoning, or just agree that it's not fair? When did this happen? Was there any reporting of it at the time? Any counter-objections?

I find it interesting that the design of the rest of the pools in the area means that female-only sessions will never be available again.

It's like the council has not taken into account sex-based needs.

Yes, the article is ambiguous. But the reporter, however, is unambiguous in the language he has used.

Once, in Cardiff, my DSis and I, who were busily doing a free deep clean on a toxic rental property for the benefit of my student DSon, decided we were whacked and needed a swim. I rang to see if the pool was open and was told it was a ladies's session. "Fine," says I, "we're both ladies. "
"Hmm," says desk, "I mean a ladies' session!"

???????

We realised when we got there. It was a ladies only session organised for Muslim women and girls, so they could exercise away from the male gaze. The big blinds were pulled down to screen the view from the café. We all had a lovely time. Some of the women wore burkinis, some wetsuit-style cover-up suits, some wore regular bathers like we had on.

We were told that at other times men of all types and beliefs were prone to gawping at swimmers from the dry café, though we didn't see that of course. Nobody made us feel uncomfortable or out of place. Nobody did that aggressive, splashy churning through other swimmers thing, either.

I suppose these nice sessions are long gone now as it would be considered unfair or potentially transphobic or something. And those lovely women have to subject themselves to the gasping or stay home. 😥

Gawping, not gasping. Gasping is what the swimmers do!

I guess there's no such thing as single-sex sessions any more, is there? Or soon won't be. The term is going to have so many provisos and exceptions drilled in it that it will sink into the meaningless depths of deadspeak.

And I seriously think many men and boys would avoid single-sex male only swimming sessions like the plague out of plain or garden variety homophobia.