speedy_gonzales
05-01-2015, 09:32 PM
AS happens at this time of year, folk make resolutions to shed pounds and tighten buns. My wife is no different and has decided she is going to join a gym to "right the wrongs" of the past few years. I followed her around as she looked at a few in West Edinburgh and really had to bite my tongue as she spoke to a sales guy for a new gym at the Westside Plaza, Xcercise4less.
The selling point made to my wife was the "Ladies Only area", I asked if that was legal these days, various equality acts have been passed since secretaries were expected to take down more than just notes!
I was assured that it's all perfectly legal, I was interested as we run equality workshops with the union at work so started to ask more questions. The sales person wasn't furnished with facts so thought I'd ask the enlightened folks here,,,,is it LEGAL to have a separate area reserved for one of the nine 'protected characteristics' covered by the latest equality act (Age, Race, Disability, Religion/belief, Sexual orientation, Sex, Marriage and civil partnership, Pregnancy and maternity, Gender reassignment)?
I'm well aware it's not illegal to have single gender clubs (Curves or golf for instance) as these require membership and membership will only be attained if pre-requisites are met. However, to have an area of a club reserved for the use of a single group, whilst all groups pay the same membership does seem to hark back to the days of apartheid(apologies for belittling apartheid but it's the first example of exclusion that came to mind). Whilst non-ladies may not be disadvantaged if there is enough equipment to go around, they are certainly financially disadvantaged in the sense that they cannot use ALL the club whilst being expected to pay ALL the monthly fees.
The good lady made her mind up, she ended up joining Pure gym at Stenhouse but I'm still a little irked at the gyms apparent ignorance of them 'selling' a discriminatory policy!
The selling point made to my wife was the "Ladies Only area", I asked if that was legal these days, various equality acts have been passed since secretaries were expected to take down more than just notes!
I was assured that it's all perfectly legal, I was interested as we run equality workshops with the union at work so started to ask more questions. The sales person wasn't furnished with facts so thought I'd ask the enlightened folks here,,,,is it LEGAL to have a separate area reserved for one of the nine 'protected characteristics' covered by the latest equality act (Age, Race, Disability, Religion/belief, Sexual orientation, Sex, Marriage and civil partnership, Pregnancy and maternity, Gender reassignment)?
I'm well aware it's not illegal to have single gender clubs (Curves or golf for instance) as these require membership and membership will only be attained if pre-requisites are met. However, to have an area of a club reserved for the use of a single group, whilst all groups pay the same membership does seem to hark back to the days of apartheid(apologies for belittling apartheid but it's the first example of exclusion that came to mind). Whilst non-ladies may not be disadvantaged if there is enough equipment to go around, they are certainly financially disadvantaged in the sense that they cannot use ALL the club whilst being expected to pay ALL the monthly fees.
The good lady made her mind up, she ended up joining Pure gym at Stenhouse but I'm still a little irked at the gyms apparent ignorance of them 'selling' a discriminatory policy!