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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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soupyspoon · 13/10/2025 08:19

HundredMilesAnHour · 12/10/2025 15:14

Some Muslim men find it offensive to their beliefs and dignity to share activities with women and girls. Some muslim women will also feel very uncomfortable running in the presence of men.

Indeed. But as a minimum both men and women should be invited to participate and given freedom of choice instead of it being denied to females over age 12.

The real question is to Tower Hamlets council, how they are allowing their park to be used for this event, but given as its Tower Hamlets, I wouldn't expect any less from them.

It is appalling what Tower Hamlets council get away with. They are rotten to the core and it starts at the top with the current mayor Lutfur Rahman who was found guilty of electoral fraud (including bribery and making false statements) when he was mayor back in 2015 and removed from office. Despite this, he was voted back in as mayor in 2022 so it seems we are stuck with him. Which is, quite frankly, why Tower Hamlets is fucked. (And yes, I am a Tower Hamlets resident).

Edit: just to add that the last thing I would call Tower Hamlets is “uber liberal”. Left wing and liberal are not the same. The sexism and misogyny on display in Tower Hamlets, particularly in the area around East London Mosque is disgraceful and more reflective of the 19th century than the 21st century world city that London is.

Edited

Absolutely this

I'd be interested to see a thread talking about a similar situation in America say, where a right wing ultra orthodox Christian church did the same thing and exluded women

Im sure that would be fine to criticise.

Icanthinkformyselfthanks · 13/10/2025 08:22

MagicLoop · 12/10/2025 13:01

Would a non-Muslim event be allowed to do this in the UK? If not, then a Muslim event shouldn't be allowed to either.

@MagicLoop , exactly this!

similarminimer · 13/10/2025 08:30

There are circumstances where children of 1 sex are allowed into the oppposite sex's space - like being able to take your opposite sex child into a changing room. So a male fun run with young children of either sex involved, thus preventing fatheres with caring responsibilities being excluded?

sittingonabeach · 13/10/2025 08:34

@similarminimer but you know that isn’t the reason for the ban of females over 12 for this race

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:38

NautilusLionfish · 13/10/2025 08:03

Are you interested in tennis? Golf, skiing, padel? Then other women shouldn't be given the chance to play these either? Come off it. There should be other contortions of arguments that would be more valid that "I hate running events" therefore it's OK to ban women from other running events

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As I said upthread there's loads of women only sports activities available in that area of London via council funded sports centres.
I would imagine there's private groups/teams too.

nicepotoftea · 13/10/2025 08:38

Martharian · 13/10/2025 07:52

Maya seems to think it is compliant with the equality act.

However, they didn't restrict participation to one sex, so it's not clear that that applies.

I suspect that the goal of that section is to allow charities to fund raise in a way that reflects their purpose, which may be for the benefit of either men or women, but this fun run was for a range of charities.

I think it's interesting that the people organising the run didn't quote that section, but quoted the rules that allow single sex swimming sessions, organised on religious grounds. iI's not clear what religious grounds there are to exclude women from a fun run in a public park. It would be interesting to hear an explanation.

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:39

Shortshriftandlethal · 13/10/2025 07:51

It is the principle that people are talking about. The idea that once past puberty women and girls should retreat from public life.

Edited
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Women and girls over 12 weren't banned from being in the park.
It's a public park.

Holluschickie · 13/10/2025 08:39

This is awful and regressive.

And I am a brown woman married to a brown man.

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:40

blueliner · 13/10/2025 08:12

How do you know?

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I don't.
I just don't like to make assumptions based on a bigoted Daily Mail article.

sittingonabeach · 13/10/2025 08:42

@Needmorelego why do you think it is okay to stop females over 12 participate in a charity fun run?

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:45

sittingonabeach · 13/10/2025 08:42

@Needmorelego why do you think it is okay to stop females over 12 participate in a charity fun run?

Sport is frequently divided by male/female after the age of 12.
In both "male" sports and "female" sports.

nicepotoftea · 13/10/2025 08:48

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:39

Women and girls over 12 weren't banned from being in the park.
It's a public park.

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Which makes it even more odd that the organisers referred to single sex swimming sessions.

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:48

This fun run has apparently existed since 2012.
No one has said anything before.
In 13 years no one has cared.

Thatcannotberight · 13/10/2025 08:48

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:45

Sport is frequently divided by male/female after the age of 12.
In both "male" sports and "female" sports.

Show quote history

Ask yourself why this is, and if it actually applies in this case?

Holluschickie · 13/10/2025 08:48

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:40

I don't.
I just don't like to make assumptions based on a bigoted Daily Mail article.

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It has been widely reported.
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/religion/article/mosque-breaching-equality-act-london-6pcd3dbb0

nicepotoftea · 13/10/2025 08:49

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:45

Sport is frequently divided by male/female after the age of 12.
In both "male" sports and "female" sports.

Show quote history

It's a stretch to call this sport. It was a fun run described as an inclusive family event. Women and girls over 12 were only excluded in the small print.

Holluschickie · 13/10/2025 08:50

If you bill something as inclusive it can't exclude half the world.

nicepotoftea · 13/10/2025 08:52

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:48

This fun run has apparently existed since 2012.
No one has said anything before.
In 13 years no one has cared.

Well Baroness Gohir, CEO of Muslim Women's Network UK has said something about it now.

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:52

nicepotoftea · 13/10/2025 08:48

Which makes it even more odd that the organisers referred to single sex swimming sessions.

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I referred to that upthread.
My point was many female only sports sessions - especially swimming - exist in council run sports facilities (even in White Christian Middle Englandshire).
They are apparently perfectly fine to exist and no one goes "oooh that's sexist, against the law blah blah".
But a privately organised event that is for males - but allows young children of box sexes join in - is apparently "illegal".

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:54

nicepotoftea · 13/10/2025 08:52

Well Baroness Gohir, CEO of Muslim Women's Network UK has said something about it now.

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Yes she has.
I assume she will talk to the women of that mosque, see what they think and maybe next year the fun run will be different.
Who knows?

MeridaBrave · 13/10/2025 08:55

There is an equality act exemption for sports events.

They allowed females under 12 so this exemption may not apply. There is an annual “Kef” bike ride that’s men only.

eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 13/10/2025 08:55

I wouldn't call Tower Hamlets ' uber liberal' - quite the opposite. I would call Tower Hamlets extremely Muslim.

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:55

Holluschickie · 13/10/2025 08:48

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Reported by the media which is becoming very anti Muslim and deliberately stirring up hatred.

Needmorelego · 13/10/2025 08:57

Thatcannotberight · 13/10/2025 08:48

Ask yourself why this is, and if it actually applies in this case?

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Usually safety reasons due to physical size/strength between girls and boys who are going/gone through puberty.
Obviously that doesn't apply so much in a fun run.