The Garrick Club, Men Only. Problem?

[Guest]

Men's clubs: fine in principle, for the most part, if you skip over (which you shouldn't) the appalling behaviour of some of the men that frequent the clubs towards the women that work there.  So not men-only really; just inclusive not of the women due respect as colleagues and members, but of women some men feel they can openly objectify, harass and demean.

 

The behaviour that festers and is encouraged in some private men's clubs makes a mockery of attempts to eliminate such regressive and abusive sexism in the workplace.

 

The other issue, of course, is that actively excluding female colleagues from such clubs helps maintain the male-dominated business, networking and boardroom old boys' network culture started in public schools and university societies.

 

Lots of foot-stomping about this women-only club.

 

 

 

 

[GabrielC]

I didn't think such places were still around seems old hat to me each to their own.

[peak4]

28 minutes ago, Mister M said:

To be honest I'm not that bothered if they don't let women in, and I don't understand why anybody else would be that bothered.

Okay it's at the heart of the British establishment, but I'm not going to get angry on behalf of the power hungry and already well placed. 

I've never believed 'if you can't beat them join them' motto. 

Personally I have no objection in principle to single sex clubs; I've had several friends and acquaintances as committee, and normal, members of The Pinnacle Club for instance.

I think the Guardian article explains the potential issue(s), specific to The Garrick, quite well, particularly if we seek to have reasonable proportionality between the sexes etc involved in running the country.
Is this story a campaigning one, or giving a voice to those within the club who do seek to admit female members.
I find it interesting though that it's the Guardian that's being quoted as "getting it's knickers in a twist" when actually it's the members of The Garrick who (narrowly) seem to be in favour, and the paper is just reporting on the story (again).
Is starting this thread intended to be critical of the Guardian, or of the Garrick's own members who wish to open up the club's catchment?

Garrick Club inches closer to allowing women members after 180 years  The Telegraph
It’s renowned as a symbol of central London gentlemen's clubs but an internal poll came out in favour of move away from male-only policy

 

The Garrick: inside the gentlemen’s club at heart of sexism row The Week

More than 300 lawyers have now signed a petition calling for the club to admit female members, with 115 QCs, 77 barristers, 65 solicitors and 37 partners and directors of law firms among the signatories. It is part of a campaign launched by lingerie mogul Emily Bendell after her application to join the club was rejected.

“Women are allowed in as guests but cannot join the club’s ranks,” explains The Times.

Bendell has previously given her take on the rules: “Women are only able to access the club’s services as second-class citizens on the whim of a man, who has to both invite and pay for them.”

 

Campaign to end Garrick Club’s 191-year ban on female members reaches the Commons  The Standard

The campaign to end the “outrageous” 191-year ban on women joining the Garrick Club has reached Parliament, with a demand for a fresh vote on opening membership to all.

MPs have backed a Commons early day motion call on the clubland institution —  where  members have reportedly included Charles Dickens, Stephen Fry and Benedict Cumberbatch — to revoke its “gentlemen-only” rule.

The motion was tabled by Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat MP for St Albans, and has so far been supported by seven MPs from all parties — except the Conservatives.

 

The EDM is here;

Exclusion of women members from The Garrick Club    EDM (Early Day Motion)1035: tabled on 07 March 2022

Motion text
That this House congratulates the Women At The Garrick Club campaign on collecting more than 300 signatories from the legal profession, including more than 100 Queens Counsel barristers, for their petition to members of the Garrick Club; notes that they urge the club membership to behave ethically by holding a vote on, and voting in favour of, admitting women as members; regrets that currently The Garrick affords men opportunities through their membership to form connections with senior legal practitioners and members of the judiciary, which may support their professional aspirations, and that these opportunities are not available to women; calls on all private members clubs to immediately abolish archaic rules preventing women from being admitted as members; and encourages those at the Garrick and other clubs to reflect on their commitment to equality and diversity in the approach to International Women's Day on 8 March.

 

It seems that not all of the Garrick's committee are happy about the move;
Garrick Club throws out member who called for women to be admitted   Business Matters

Colin Brough, a former theatre producer and a member for four decades, faced expulsion on grounds of “conduct unbecoming of a gentleman” after he vocally campaigned for the admission of women, reportedly sending a series of impassioned emails to fellow members.

Describing the club’s management as “Putin-style” and accusing the committee of obstructing the desire of a majority of members to welcome women, Brough found himself summoned to a meeting with the Garrick’s chairman on February 1, where he was formally removed from membership.

 

[Baron99]

1 hour ago, Al Bundy said:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/18/garrick-club-bastion-male-elitism

 

I see the Guardian is getting it's knickers in a twist....(oops, sorry, undergarments) about The Garrick Club in London being a men only club, obviously a dig at white old men is compulsory so no surprises there.....so, what's the big deal?

 

It sounds like a place where I wouldn't want to go but what's the problem about men having their own club?  Are men not allowed a safe space, or a place to go without women there.....why not?

 

Do women really want to go into this place or is it just to cause fake outrage?

 

There are many women only clubs, at least 6 in London alone, do men complain about that, of course they don't, so why can't men have a club purely for men?

 

https://www.thehandbook.com/londons-best-women-only-private-members-clubs/

 

Why is the Guardian not making a big deal of Women only clubs?

 

 

 

 

 

"I Don’t Want to Belong to Any Club That Will Accept Me as a Member. - Groucho Marx. 

 

I doubt they'd let me in, let alone my wife?  But hey, I wouldn't even try.  I'm particular who I want to spend my time drinking with. 

[Mister M]

1 hour ago, peak4 said:

Personally I have no objection in principle to single sex clubs; I've had several friends and acquaintances as committee, and normal, members of The Pinnacle Club for instance.

I think the Guardian article explains the potential issue(s), specific to The Garrick, quite well, particularly if we seek to have reasonable proportionality between the sexes etc involved in running the country.
Is this story a campaigning one, or giving a voice to those within the club who do seek to admit female members.
I find it interesting though that it's the Guardian that's being quoted as "getting it's knickers in a twist" when actually it's the members of The Garrick who (narrowly) seem to be in favour, and the paper is just reporting on the story (again).
Is starting this thread intended to be critical of the Guardian, or of the Garrick's own members who wish to open up the club's catchment?

Garrick Club inches closer to allowing women members after 180 years  The Telegraph
It’s renowned as a symbol of central London gentlemen's clubs but an internal poll came out in favour of move away from male-only policy

 

The Garrick: inside the gentlemen’s club at heart of sexism row The Week

More than 300 lawyers have now signed a petition calling for the club to admit female members, with 115 QCs, 77 barristers, 65 solicitors and 37 partners and directors of law firms among the signatories. It is part of a campaign launched by lingerie mogul Emily Bendell after her application to join the club was rejected.

“Women are allowed in as guests but cannot join the club’s ranks,” explains The Times.

Bendell has previously given her take on the rules: “Women are only able to access the club’s services as second-class citizens on the whim of a man, who has to both invite and pay for them.”

 

Campaign to end Garrick Club’s 191-year ban on female members reaches the Commons  The Standard

The campaign to end the “outrageous” 191-year ban on women joining the Garrick Club has reached Parliament, with a demand for a fresh vote on opening membership to all.

MPs have backed a Commons early day motion call on the clubland institution —  where  members have reportedly included Charles Dickens, Stephen Fry and Benedict Cumberbatch — to revoke its “gentlemen-only” rule.

The motion was tabled by Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat MP for St Albans, and has so far been supported by seven MPs from all parties — except the Conservatives.

 

The EDM is here;

Exclusion of women members from The Garrick Club    EDM (Early Day Motion)1035: tabled on 07 March 2022

Motion text
That this House congratulates the Women At The Garrick Club campaign on collecting more than 300 signatories from the legal profession, including more than 100 Queens Counsel barristers, for their petition to members of the Garrick Club; notes that they urge the club membership to behave ethically by holding a vote on, and voting in favour of, admitting women as members; regrets that currently The Garrick affords men opportunities through their membership to form connections with senior legal practitioners and members of the judiciary, which may support their professional aspirations, and that these opportunities are not available to women; calls on all private members clubs to immediately abolish archaic rules preventing women from being admitted as members; and encourages those at the Garrick and other clubs to reflect on their commitment to equality and diversity in the approach to International Women's Day on 8 March.

 

It seems that not all of the Garrick's committee are happy about the move;
Garrick Club throws out member who called for women to be admitted   Business Matters

Colin Brough, a former theatre producer and a member for four decades, faced expulsion on grounds of “conduct unbecoming of a gentleman” after he vocally campaigned for the admission of women, reportedly sending a series of impassioned emails to fellow members.

Describing the club’s management as “Putin-style” and accusing the committee of obstructing the desire of a majority of members to welcome women, Brough found himself summoned to a meeting with the Garrick’s chairman on February 1, where he was formally removed from membership.

 

Good question.