Judge rules against women-only holidays

To even consider such a notion seems so backwards to me. Women-only holidays? Where will the line be drawn? How long until it becomes the norm to exclude males from the supermarket, the bar, the restaurant? Is it simply coincidence that men keep getting demonised in the media, being told that "acting male" is no longer ok, and that they need to start looking and acting more like women?

Judge rules against women-only holidays

A SINGLE-sex travel company for women who want to avoid boozy, bed-hopping mixed tour groups has been grounded.

A judge ruled yesterday that former tour guide Erin Maitland cannot advertise women-only holidays because it could breach the human rights of men.

Judge Marilyn Harbison refused to grant Ms Maitland an exemption to the Equal Opportunity Act, ruling that she had not proved it was reasonable or necessary, the Herald Sun reports.

"The exemption may well be convenient and practical in the establishment of her business, but it cannot be justified on human rights principles," said the vice-president of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

In her evidence to VCAT Ms Maitland said she wanted to set up Travel Sisters after hearing stories from her friends who would not travel in mixed tour groups because of "drinking and bed-hopping".
The judge said Ms Maitland believed Travel Sisters would provide security for women, re-assure male partners who could not travel and be used by women who did not want to mix with men for cultural or religious reasons or because they were victims of domestic violence or sexual assault.

Her application was opposed by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, which said it would conflict with Victoria's Charter of Human Rights.

Judge Harbison said the commission argued that her application stereotyped men's behaviour.

Reverse sexism anyone?

reverse sexism is no sexism.

that out of the way...

yes, it is total bologna. yet..if it was a private company...they can do what they want.

the woman isent asking for a national holday . she runs a turing cm
and is wanting woman only tors as such its her company and she should be able to give woman only tors .

It's a good thing that it was denied, and by a female judge, no less. I have seen such male degradation all around me. It's horrible how males are made to be evile, and forced into losing all masculinity.

Hoorray for the judge!

reply to post by xxcalbier


yea..no national holiday..just "holiday" in the british sense aka...a vacation.

eh it may be sexist but its her company let her do as she will.

what are the legal grounds that this can be stopped?

reply to post by divinetragedy79


please remember it was a woman who made the ruling and don't hog wild off into the sunset claiming women everywhere are out to get you! (not you personally, just anyone who gets so worked up about this stuff and decides women should go back to being seen and not heard. it's not our fault that society has a tendency to do these weird extreme pendulum swings. why can't it just moderate itself? i dunno. drives me nuts too. )

Oddly enough, I just seen on the news that the UK gov has just announced yet another database (list mad we are). This one is a database of serial domestic violence offenders, and low and behold, no women. It is a "men only" database.

You should google "angryharry", he's got quite a bit to say about the BBC and feminism.

Originally posted by iamsupermanv2

yes, it is total bologna. yet..if it was a private company...they can do what they want.

Kind of sucks when "private" companies rule the world, huh?

So are you saying it is okay for restaurants to have white only bathrooms? Or maybe people like YOU are not allowed in anymore - all over the place? Your favorite food joints, bowling alley, downtown buildings.

They are just private businesses though right? Boo freaking hoo, shake your brain from the corporate America syndrome.

This has NOTHING to do with being a private business.

reply to post by FritosBBQTwist


churches and other organizations have, for as long as i can remember, had one sex retreats.

i mean..it's a fine line, i get what you are saying, but no need to be all snarky about it.

and no, i'm not in favor of this.

We need women to pull us in the right direction whenever we feel that we are losing our way ahead. But these feminists are really beginning to irritate me. They are getting more women into their little occult like club, and I guess they are dragging the male species into this club as well. So many of these so called men are acting in feminine manners, I guess it's getting so bad now that they are not even noticing of such change either. WE NEED A GOOD WOMAN IN OUR LIVES BUT WE NEED TO START ACTING LIKE REAL MEN!

I am sure such groups exist in the US, I don't really see the issue here.. unless there were men demanding to go on these women only retreats. And I don't think it's "more comforting" to the male "counterparts" that their women go on these retreats.. it doesn't say they won't be in areas where there are absolutely no men, no bars with men, no beaches with men etc.. just says the official group is female.

But anyways, I belong to a Fraternity, male only. So it's not like male only organizations don't exist, you know?

It infuriates me!

Here in Scotland we have women only mornings at the public swimming pool, and women only gyms. I read over in India they have women only trains now. Its tough being a creepy pervert in this day and age, I tell you.

John

PS : On a serious note though, I think this stuff is absolutely shocking.

reply to post by Millions


there is a chain called curves here in the states that is female only...

my question for any of you legal buffs or someone wanting to do the research, where is the line drawn, in the US and the UK as those seem to be the two represented here.

I don't believe the issue at heart is about private clubs/businesses being able to do as they please.

Certain Lesbian nightclubs in Australia are allowed to refuse entry to men because these places tend to attract straight males. I do NOT oppose this because the reasoning behind it is justified. The point of the club is for gay women to meet and socialise with other gay women.

This article is a whole other issue because it is trying to deny all men the opportunity to holiday and reside with women. What is the reasoning behind it? "Drinking and bed-hopping" is deterring women from travelling. Last time I checked, there were plenty of women did both on a regular bases. The negative behaviour is being portrayed as coming exclusively from men.

It is a good sign that the female Judge made this decision. I am just surprised that this push for "women-only" services is actively being sought by women who claim to be doing these things in the name of equality.

reply to post by Rockpuck


men DO go on womens retreats. they aren't literally, women only. at least, not the ones i've seen. it's just the topics are women related, things some guys might find boring or silly or embarrassing. like menopause and girly stuff.

stuff like this:



(^^ that's my sister in real life. she's a speaker at women's retreats and confererences)

[edit on 18-11-2009 by undo]

reply to post by iamsupermanv2


exactly my thoughts. A private entity can cater to who they please, provided there is an absense of public interest and funding (I.e., a bar can refuse you entry or service based on whatever criteria they want, but a privately-owned water company can't jack up your prices because of your race or something)

I wonder if it would have been ruled differently if the company offered men-only vacations in addition to women-only vacations (not that I think most men would go on such a vacation). Kind of like how its okay for the Boy Scouts to exclude girls because girls have their own organization (Girl Scouts), but its not okay for high school football teams to unfairly exclude girls.

A judge belongs in court.

A judge has no right whatsoever to comment on peoples' choices.

How ridiculous.

Just another case of someone in a high position thinking they are God.

To be honest with you, i don’t think this is some feminists idea to "get back at men" or even make them sound terrible to go on holiday with. I mean, no one sets up such a company without research into your target audience and obviously, they must have thought there is money to be made from these holidays. If there wasn’t money to be made then the company would fall flat on its face and just disappear.

Sorry for all the guys who don’t feel like men.
Maybe you should take up rugby? Hell, why not have a lads only holiday?

What is really wrong with this?

It's just an extended hens night really, I don't see sexism.

I'm a man, I know what men are like.

I personally can't blame those women, if they want to go in a women only tour group then who the hell cares?

It's safer, they feel more comfortable and in the end they'll probably have more fun.