Is This The Party Of Equality?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/574616/Labour-Left-speakers-segregated-rally

How far is Labour prepared to go in their quest to attract ethnic votes?

[Svejk]

Typical, innit? (double standards)

[Baldric]

Some are more equal than others!

[Gromit]

I am sure that women are not equal to men in muslim society.

However, I am not sure seating the men and the women apart in the same room, to hear the same speakers, is an example of inequality. If they were barred are made to stand at the back, then that would be discrimination. But they were sat level with the men.

The women are not being disadvantaged in this instance, so I do not see why Labour have done anything wrong.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// The women are not being disadvantaged in this instance, so I do not see why Labour have done anything wrong. ///

Oh so perhaps in the House of Commons we can soon see Labour's women MPs sitting apart from Labour's male MPs then?

[Gromit]

AOG,

If they were, they would not be being disadvantaged so it would not be an equality issue. But obviously it is not a desirable situation and the Commons would not consider such an action. I don't think separate seating areas breaks any laws, but it is a backward way of thinking, and we are not surprised that a regressive action by a regressive religion

[Gromit]

Some sects of Judaism also separate men and women congregations. That practice is called Mehitza. It's what comes from adopting a millenia old set of beliefs.

[Svejk]

Have you got a picture of desperate politicians pandering to Mehitza, gromit?

[-Talbot-]

Me and my mates practice Mehitza...The more common name for it is 'going out in couples'

[tonyav]

I see that this meeting took place in Hodge Hill ( Birmingham ), so i'm not surprised at all.

[bazwillrun]

"It's what comes from adopting a millenia old set of beliefs. "

yup thats labour....oh hold on

[sp1814]

AOH

I understand that you are under contract to post at least 15 Muslim/black/gay threads per week, and that you have to do a mid-Sunday rush to meet this week's target, but I think this particular story falls a little short of your usual high standards.

I would agree wholeheartedly with you if the women were banned from the meeting, or banned from asking questions or made to sit at the back, but they appear to be sat separately from the men with an aisle down the middle.

Perhaps we should take a leaf out of your own book and stop being outraged on the behalf of ethnic minorities?

[New Judge]

So you think it's perectly acceptable for women to be told where to sit based solely on their gender, sp.

Moving on a little, then, presumably it be OK to tell black people to sit on the left and white people to sit on the right?

Sorry, but Muslims need to be told that we do nt segregate audiences in the UK by race, gender, religion or anything else. If they want to engage with mainstream society and (in this case) politics they need to give up this pathetic, insulting nonsense.

[Orderlimit]

Yes, it would be a very very different matter if it were any group with dark skin that were separated. Shameful situation regardless.

[sp1814]

New Judge

I am aware that there are certain religious edicts that I don't agree with.

I believe that the mechitza (as stated earlier) operates to separate men from women and as with this crazy edict in Islam, I personally don't approve of it. But what is my opinion worth here?

There are loads of religious rules that I don't understand. But as long as they don't affect me - I find it difficult to jump on the outrage train.

For instance, you have to be in possession of a penis to become a Catholic priest.

Heaven knows why.

But as I said before - on AB, we (lefties, if you will) are constantly chided by neo-cons for speaking on behalf of minorities.

Perhaps the same should be true here?

I honestly don't understand these rules, because I grew up in a fundamentally atheist household.

But in answer to your question - yes, I think it would be outrageous to suggest separation based on race...but that's not what we're talking about...

What you would have to do, is ask the women at the meeting, "Do you feel outraged at this? Do you feel that you are being treated badly?"

Rather than assuming you know what they think, and how they feel. Indeed - it might surprise you to know that they might actually WANT to be separated from the blokes.

I don't know the answer to that question...and I'm not about to guess it either.

[askyourgran]

Apart from all that this is England and we do not separate male and females - only in the toilets and certain golf clubs.

[sp1814]

askyourgran

And synagogues.

And swimming pools.

And prisons.

And schools.

But essentially - I agree with you. There's absolutely no reason why men and women should be sat separately in political meetings.

It's crazy.

But personally (sorry if anyone finds this offensive) - I find all religion a bit crazy.

[anotheoldgit]

It is simply amazing what the Left brigade are willing to accept when it is their political ideology which is under criticism, imaging what would have been said if this had been a UKIP meeting?

[naomi24]

This was a public meeting that didn’t concern religion. Religious edicts shouldn’t have been applied by the organisers or accepted by the speakers or the audience.