A religious organization hosts a debate at a University and segregates the audience by gender

[cali]

That's what recently happened in London at at a debate entitled Islam or Atheism. One of the participants in the debate, American physicist and former Obama science adviser, Lawrence Krauss, threatened to walk out if single women were made to sit in the rear of the hall.

The organizers capitulated and allowed audience members to sit where they pleased. Some in the audience expressed anger at Krauss, calling him intolerant.



http://www.examiner.com/article/lawrence-krauss-nearly-walks-out-of-islam-debate-over-segregation
http://www.theweek.co.uk/uk-news/52014/brits-too-afraid-aggressive-muslims-says-us-academic

[sadbear]

1. Good job, Dr. Krauss.

[Moonwalk]

2. Indeed, he was intolerant...

...of sexism They have nerve casting him as the intolerant one.

[SpartanDem]

3. Shame they had to be told to do this

[liberal_at_heart]

4. My question would be where did the women want to sit.

There are a lot of women who believe that wearing a hi jab is discriminatory toward women. Some Islamic women want to wear it. They choose to wear it. Some choose not to wear it. Others have no choice because of the law. Religious women should have the freedom to chose to do what their conscience tells them to do. If they wanted to sit in front and were simply being forced to sit in back then yes they should have the freedom to sit in front. Those women who feel they should sit in back because of their faith should have the freedom to do so also. I loved that TLC show American Muslim. It showed a great diversity within the American Muslim lifestyle. Some followed tradition while others broke tradition, but they all followed their faith according to how they felt they should. I think it is up to those women within the religion and tradition to change it if they want to change it. I don't think it is our place to change it for them. There was a thread earlier today about how America his the most hated country in the world and it is because we but our nose in where it doesn't belong. Maybe we should worry about how we are living our own lives and stop worrying so much about how other people are living theirs.

[redqueen]

5. Krauss's objection made it so that any woman who wanted to sit in the back could still do so

and those who didn't want to wouldn't be forced to do so.

Seems like a fair solution was achieved in this case.

[LadyHawkAZ]

6. Per Krauss in the article:

“Almost walked out of IERA debate as it ended up segregated (single men and women not allowed to sit together). I had been promised that would not be the case, and then saw 3 really nice kids being ejected for sitting in wrong place. I packed up my bags and walked out. They caved in, and let the kids back, not without complaints of course from some of the attendees.”

[cali]

7. Some evidently did want to sit separately. Too bad.

This was a mixed audience- not only Muslims. It was at a PUBLIC College. What right does any religious group have to institute a discriminatory policy against women in society where that is EXPRESSLY against the law?

The women that don't want to sit in a mixed audience are free NOT to attend.

[liberal_at_heart]

8. the ones who wanted to sit separately should have the freedom to sit separately. There should be a

place where they could sit separately if that is what they wanted. Those who wanted to sit mixed should have the freedom sit mixed and should a place where they can sit mixed. Nobody has the right to impose restrictions on the other. The religious don't have the right to impose restrictions on non-religious people and non-religious people do not have the right to impost restrictions on religious people. Religious people have just as much right to attend a public meeting and still observe their religion as people who are not religious. Oh, I don't know why I'm even replying to this thread. It is just going to deteriorate into another hateful anti-religion thread. This thread is going in the trash.

[etherealtruth]

10. They would not have the opportunity to "sit separately" ...

... unless the entire audience was segregated. I have no issue with religious beliefs as long as they do not effect the public discourse/ infringe on the rights (freedoms) of others.

My point: Muslims have the right to believe that there should be segregation of the sexes ... and if they so wish, to do this at private and Islamic events and gatherings.

I did not see the television show American Muslim, but I hear it was a fairly positive and accurate portrayal of Muslims in America (Dearborn, Michigan).

My experience with Islam is limited to the experiences marrying into a Muslim family and being part of the family for a decade, and close friendships with folk that are Muslim.

[leftyohiolib]

11. Religious women should have the freedom to chose to do what their conscience tells them to do

that's an odd statement.

[cbayer]

9. I was glad to see that he stood up to this and that they responded positively.

This is how change takes place, imo. One seat at a time.

[arely staircase]

12. it is like when t-baggers think your oppressing them

by not going along with their homophobia.

[Orrex]

13. I hope that someone held the door for them, at least.

[Dragonfli]

14. This issue was explored quite well in this Canadian based HULU series

http://www.hulu.com/watch/369675#i0,p1,d0

not sure if the link works, it does for me and I thought the Imam's solution reasonable and fair.

One thing that puzzles me is that the controversy in the show was how it should be dealt with in the Mosque in a worship context.


Why anyone would even consider such segregation in a public forum context rather than in a worship choice context confuses me.