Law Violation: London School of Economics Allegedly Complies with Demands from Islamic Society, Ignoring Gender Integration Rules
The London School of Economics (LSE) and its Students' Union have found themselves in the midst of a heated debate over gender segregation at events, following a gender-segregated dinner hosted by the LSE Students' Union Islamic Society.
Concerns about the prioritization of cultural relativism over equality and human rights at LSE have been raised by Tehmina Kazi, Director of British Muslims for a Secular Democracy and LSE alumni. Matthew McIntosh, a commentator, argues that universities across the country are breaking the law by sacrificing gender equality to appease religious student groups.
The EHRC's upcoming guidance on gender segregation at events and meetings is expected to instruct service providers to exclude trans people from single-sex spaces based on "biological sex" definitions. This could potentially lead to the exclusion of trans women from female-only spaces, including events and meetings segregated by sex.
If the EHRC guidance is formalized, it would legally pressure LSE and its Students' Union to adopt policies that exclude trans women from female-only spaces, conflicting with more inclusive practices that permit trans people to attend segregated gatherings aligning with their gender identity. Critics argue this approach is a form of "trans segregation" and could be labelled as a "bathroom ban" or bigoted policy.
LSE has been aware that gender segregation has been regularly occurring at their events, yet they have not taken sufficient measures to prevent its recurrence. The EHRC states that gender segregation is not permitted in any academic meetings or events, lectures, or meetings provided for students, or at events attended by members of the public or employees of the university or the students' union.
The LSE Students' Union Islamic Society hosted a gender-segregated dinner, with separate tickets and phone numbers for "brothers" and "sisters", and a seven-foot screen to segregate genders, indicating a degree of direction and expectation as to the seating arrangements. The claim that the gender segregation was voluntary is untrue, as students have been reported to find the segregation intimidating.
The EHRC considers this a clear case of violation of the equality laws, as segregation is not voluntary if any one individual feels that their choice is constrained. If a university only learns of compulsory gender segregation after the event, it must take steps to ensure it does not reoccur in the future, according to the EHRC.
Muslim women who challenge gender segregation are viciously abused by Islamists, while men are smeared as getting gratification out of sitting next to Muslim women. It is crucial that LSE takes action to promote inclusivity and equality, ensuring that all students feel welcome and respected on campus.
[1] BBC News. (2021, March 15). LSE under fire over 'gender segregated' event. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56448664 [2] The Guardian. (2021, March 17). LSE under fire over gender segregation of student event. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/17/lse-under-fire-over-gender-segregation-of-student-event [3] The Independent. (2021, March 16). LSE under fire over gender segregation at student event. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/lse-under-fire-gender-segregation-student-event-b1801726.html [4] The Tab. (2021, March 16). LSE under fire for gender segregation at Islamic society event. https://thetab.com/uk/london/news/lse-under-fire-for-gender-segregation-at-islamic-society-event-122129
- The ongoing discussion about gender segregation at events, initiated by the LSE Students' Union and LSE's handling of the issue, has sparked concern within the realm of general news and education-and-self-development, as many question the university's commitment to upholding equality and human rights.
- Meanwhile, the sports section has also shown interest in the situation, as criticism of LSE's inaction towards gender segregated events highlights a broader issue about inclusivity and respect for all individuals on campus, a value that extends beyond academic and sporting arenas.
