24) Aren't women-only circles discriminatory?
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This article is from the Paganism FAQ, by susanhk@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Susan Harwood Kaczmarczik) with numerous contributions by others.
24) Aren't women-only circles discriminatory?
Yes, women-only circles are discriminatory. So what? *ALL*
circles are somewhat discriminatory, even if the only discrimination
is that they'll evict preachers who disrupt the proceedings of the
circle.
If you're worried about being discriminatory in your own circle,
simply look at the circle as a group of friends. Then, the
discrimination is simply a limit on who you'll have as your friends,
which is undeniably a good thing.
If you're worried about being discriminated against, then you can
form your own circle, and you have the option to make it a men-only
circle. Why do you want to intrude into a social space where you're
not wanted?
If the participants are discussing business-related things
affecting you during their circle, then you have legal rights to be
allowed to participate, regardless of whether the discrimination is
gender-related or not. It would be good advice to avoid such topics
during circle. If you're worried that a circle from which you're
excluded is doing so, you can talk to a lawyer to find out what those
rights are and whether it will be wise and useful to pursue them.
Ultimately, though, you need to remember that some people feel
strongly that some mysteries are gender-related and therefore it is
not appropriate to have men (or women, depending) in attendance. It's
not a plot to keep you out or to make you feel bad, but rather quite
an ancient method of exploring certain mysteries that only apply to
one sex (e.g. menstruation).
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