It is common to have clubs or gatherings where discrimination is still practiced - and, in my experience, most commonly in churches. Groups form which call themselves the "Sisterhood" or some such thing denoting that it's for women only and if a man dare ask if he may join he is abruptly told "No." Would we sanction a "Whites (or Blacks) Only" group? What about "For Straights (or Gays) Only?"
When questioned, women proclaim that there are subjects that women don't feel comfortable discussing in the presense of men. I'm sure that there are subjects that "blacks" don't feel comfortable discussing when "whites" are around (and vice versa). "Gays" must feel muffled if "straights" are present (and vice versa). So if a group feels that some topics of interest are out of bounds if their group is enlargened is that license enough to discriminate?
As a practical matter, I doubt that many men would attend a meeting of the "Sisterhood" but if they did it would probably be mutually beneficial. I think that the motivators for the creation of such discriminatory groups reveal an unhealthiness and/or a lack of healing of an injury caused by some past psychological trauma. A therapy group run by a professional is probably a better venue to vent their problems and seek a cure than a church group.
Is it not ironic that a major and legitimate complaint of the feminist movement was the existence of "Old Boy's Clubs" where decisions and friendships excluding women were made that women had no chance to participate in? Yet many of these same feminists flock to the "Sisterhood."
I cannot say it any better than Dorothy Allison, "Class, race, sexuality, gender and all other categories by which we categorize and dismiss each other need to be excavated from the inside."
I must check to see if the local quilting group allows men to join.
© 2014 Lester C. Welch
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