A recent post pointed out by Lindsey (see bottom of this post) pointed out the discrimination at Urmston Leisure centre whereby her husband was banned from going swimming with her. This is in the borough of Trafford, who also have the ban on man in the Sale Leisure centre as well. As outlined in a recent post on Colchester where they have women-only saunas, this everyday story of male discrimination on the council tax never really goes away, despite the fact that it is clearly illegal.
It is in breach of the sex discrimination (now subsumed into the Equality act 2010) but as the Equalities and Human Rights commission's own guidance shows - it is illegal (here and here). Even if it was legal it is still discriminatory and immoral.
So anyway I thought I'd do a Google search to see who else apart from Oxford and Bristol so here is a list:
Crawley, Wandsworth ,Birmingham, Croydon , Hull, Derby, Sheffield , Watford, Epsom & Ewell, Liverpool, Plymouth, Birmingham ( a petition to have more!!), Stretford again, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Wolverhampton, Bradford, Brent, Glasgow, Reading, Middlesbrough, Rotherham, Slough, Islington, Newcastle, Leeds University, Nottingham, Waltham Forest, Camden, Cardiff, Coventry, Leicester, Brighton and Hastings (this council said they will black out the windows!!).
This was just after 8 pages on Google and thought I'd better stop else I might be there all night. Even the national swimming organisation has no problem with it and encourage women to find womne-only sessions.
What this does show is that councils seem to see it as no problem at all to hold women-only swimming sessions even though it breaks the law and discriminates against men. Men who of course pay their council tax too.
Is there no end to the discrimination against men and no end to the general acceptance that is OK.
Posted by Skimmington
Editors note - Haringey has men and women only sessions
Hi, according to the page at the end of this comment, it is not usually illegal to offer single-sex services in this way:
" the Sex Discrimination Act allows facilities to be restricted by sex where the potential user-group would be seriously embarrassed by the presence of the opposite sex, or where the users are likely to be in a state of undress."
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/your-rights/gender/sex-discrimination-in-public-services/sex-discrimination-in-the-public-services-your-rights/
Posted by: Rory Holland | Sunday, 12 June 2011 at 23:26
Yes, add to that Colwyn leisure centre in Conwy also has the sexist policy. Does anyone know how we would go about reporting such cases of sex discrimination?
Posted by: JH | Sunday, 12 June 2011 at 23:37
It's not entirely clear cut whether this sessions are illegal or not. From my previous reading on this subject it appears such sessions are illegal unless the council has undertaken the necessary research/surveys to establish whether such sessions are wanted/needed.
Therefore the easiest way to stop the sessions is to request this evidence. Many won't have it therefore meaning the sessions are inappropriate and not allowable.
Posted by: John Kimble | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 00:44
Silly question, but why don't these councils hold men-only swimming sessions, then men and women both can have single-sex swimming opportunities.
Oh of course, men-only would be called 'sexist'. Silly me!
Posted by: mananon | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 01:13
Mananon - some of the less sexist councils do that - see the last line of the post
Posted by: John Kimble | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 05:37
I'm sure in certain parts of the country they could get enough people wanting a 'whites-only' swimming session. But of course (quite rightly) they would never get away with that!
Posted by: JH | Monday, 13 June 2011 at 10:06
You need to do your research properly before you jump to conclusions - I live in Tower Hamlets, one of the boroughs on your list, and there is a men-only swimming session on a Monday night at the pool in Shadwell!
Posted by: Natalie | Monday, 27 June 2011 at 14:58
So one men only session in Shadwell. This compares to 12 women only sessions in the borough. Is that really equality?
http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/601-650/644_leisure_centres_and_facili/swimming.aspx
Even worse, it seems that the women only sessions are far cheaper than regular sessions, therefore men are not just excluded but also expected to pay more on the rare occasions they can attend! A regular swim in Tower Hamlets is £4.20, whereas women only sessions cost £1.
http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=b16929df-c69c-4243-a1a3-963d0841eab3&version=-1
Thanks for promoting me into doing some digging here Natalie, things are far worse than Skimmington suggested, so he does indeed need to do his research though not quite in the direction you suggested.
Posted by: John Kimble | Tuesday, 05 July 2011 at 04:16