Jalsa Salana, a huge men only festival in the UK.

[Imdunfer]

This huge Muslim Festival, 50,000 attendees from 100 countries, happened over the weekend in Hampshire. If previous years are anything to go by you will be hard put to find a single woman in any of the photographs. That's because the men and the women meet separately. The women and men are segregated. The women are excluded from taking part with the men, they have a separate conference, they aren't even sat at the back of the men's one.

I honestly never thought I'd be living in a country where women were so excluded from a public gathering of 50,000 people.

I never thought I'd be living in a country where this event will go without criticism and probably actually be praised and celebrated. "MPs, bishops and other public figures are expected to attend." and not one of them, and probably no other prominent public figure either, will comment on this segregation.

It's 2026, how on earth is this country going backwards so far in the treatment of women that this is now perceived to be mainstream and acceptable?

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/25/uk-largest-muslim-event-jalsa-salana-security-anti-muslim-hate-crime#:~:text=Now%20in%20its%2060th%20year,site%20in%20Hampshire%20this%20weekend.

I’m all for men having their own things, but this is slightly different. This is sex segregation due to the belief that women are lesser and somehow tempting.

there was a men’s only fun run recently in London as well.

you are right, this misogyny should not be normalised.

see also, toddlers in hijab

And I take it the women’s conference isn’t of equal size and status?

But... but... but won't somebody let the poor menz have a mass event/concert where they aren't at risk of being groped by predatory women?

Its a farken religious meeting?
Leave them alone with your desperate need to shit stir.
Its acceptavle becuase amuslim is a culture that is that way.
IGNORACE IS bliss

Mental

It would appear so!

Isn't there a women's only one too though?

If the motivation is that 'women are lesser', of course I disagree with that, but women-only spaces/men-only spaces can fulfil valid functions, that's why there are exceptions in equality laws.

Men's sheds are just for men, and I'm OK with that if it contributes towards better mental health for men to meet together like that.

I hope the women had a lovely time together over the weekend

We harp on and on about the importance of women only spaces. Why can't men have men only spaces. I doubt they have issues with men dressing up as women to get in women only spaces.

Yet we demand women's only sports???

Yes, because men have a physical advantage in most sports so competing against women is unfair - it’s cheating.

Aren't men and women both at the festival but they worship separately? So it's not a men only event, but a religious event where some aspects are segregated in accordance to their beliefs?

Hermione, have you really seen toddlers in hijab? I live in a community with a high Muslim population and I haven't seen a girl wearing a hijab before highschool.

There are obviously many issues about Islam and women's rights, but I can't get worked up about a religious celebration like this.

I think we need someone from within the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to explain to us why they have separated the women from the men and whether the two groups are treated differently in any other way. My mother knew some people in the community and thought that they represented a more peaceful branch of Islam. I believe that they have been persecuted in some countries and are considered heretics by some Muslims.

There's the Africa Women Conference in Croydon next month. I'm disgusted that this is allowed as it's both sexist and racist.

Oh, actually I'm not disgusted. Seems perfectly fair to me.

How about you jog on with your rage biting shit?

The Act allows some flexibility around both religion and freedom of association, hence, the Labour Women's Conference, nunneries and priories, and churches with male priests only, are all legal.

Whether or not this meeting illegally discriminated against women would have to be determined by a holistic less favourable treatment analysis: the fact of segregation alone is not enough.

The Al-Hidrah case seems the most relevant, but in that case it was found that both sexes suffered a detriment more specific to children, so possibly not that helpful.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-40575509

Hey, @Imdunfer, presumably you disagree with this female only Muslim conference...?

The annual Muslim Women’s Leadership Conference brings together Muslim women leaders, activists, professionals, scholars, and philanthropists who are making a positive impact in their communities. We showcase their work while building social networks, providing concrete steps for change, and inspiring women to use their strengths in order to affect social issues.

British culture and law is that women are equal.

Since the event is in the UK, what prevents women who identify as men to attend?

No I don't because women need to fight for their rights in many Muslim communities. The key words in what you quoted were "change" and "use their strength in order to affect.". and in many communities they would be prevented from doing that with men around.

Ah, so female-only conferences are fine while male-only conferences are not fine?

Well it's an intriguing question but since the penalty for homosexuality, never mind trans, in many Muslim communities is death I doubt you'd find anyone willing to volunteer to find out.

I don't see the issue.

Why shouldn't there be men only events? Men only clubs, sports, worship / religious events and so on seem perfectly reasonable to me. The same as for women.

If I want single sex spaces - and I do - that also means men get them as well. Obv.

That's a pathetic response to a very serious set of issues.

Do you support the segregation of women in Mosques as well?

How about fun runs?

You don't see a problem with the men who run a religion excluding women from conferences that discuss how to run that religion?