I got into to a discussion last night.
Is the race for life sexist as it does not allow men to enter?
Is the race for life sexist as it does not allow men to enter?
What's wrong with being sexy?
No.
Next question.
Next question.
Lonewolves wrote:
No.
Next question.
Next question.
I thought excluding a gender was sexist. Ok why is it not?
Sexism is an oppressive system. You cannot have oppression without power.
Men are not oppressed for not being able to run the Race for Life.
Men are not oppressed for not being able to run the Race for Life.
Lonewolves wrote:
Sexism is an oppressive system. You cannot have oppression without power.
Men are not oppressed for not being able to run the Race for Life.
Men are not oppressed for not being able to run the Race for Life.
A guy asked them this question last year on FB
They said ....
Quote:
Race for Life has many male supporters, who volunteer their time to help out on the day. We also encourage men to come along to support the women who are taking part and are continuing to improve facilities to make Race for Life event days enjoyable for men and also to ensure it is a family-friendly event.
We regularly review our events to make them the best they can be. Four years ago, we seriously investigated the possibility of including men in Race for Life. However, our research shows that a significant number of our Race for Life supporters would strongly prefer to keep it a female-only event as it is a unique opportunity for women to come together in a non-competitive environment within an atmosphere of ‘sisterhood’.
We also undertook a commercial assessment of the event to look at the implications and potential uplift of including men. Results showed that the strength and success of Race for Life is dependent on its appeal to women and we would risk losing a significant amount of income for the charity’s lifesaving work if we changed it.
We have trialled 5k events for men in the past. Run for Moore in aid of the Bobby Moore Fund was a 5k series of events for men which in 2009 we took the difficult decision to cancel. Unfortunately there was insufficient interest from men to take part and to return their sponsorship money, making it difficult to justify investing in it any further.
We do not take the decision to cancel event series lightly, but decisions have to be primarily based on generating as much funds as possible so that we can continue to support our life-saving research. We have been working towards getting more men involved in fundraising for several years and are continuing to do so.
Our research indicates that most men prefer to take part in more challenging events and that 5k events were not challenging enough. With this in mind our Shine events, which are open to both men and women, offer supporters the chance to walk either a full or half marathon. We feel that these events provide our male supporters with a challenge they can strive towards .
We always encourage and actively support fundraisers who wish to organise their own event in aid of Cancer Research UK. Some of our male supporters have organised their own 5k running events such as Run for Men and the World Cup Men’s Run in aid of fundraising for Cancer Research UK. We are currently looking at how we can provide our supporters with the tools to create their own events.
Participants in Race for Life often enter in memory or support of both men and women, displaying their dedications on their back sign. The money raised from Race for Life events goes towards our life-saving work across all kinds of cancer, which affect both men and women. We are committed to beating cancer, regardless of the gender of the person affected. The majority of the research we carry out is into cancers that affect both sexes, but we also fund a range of ground breaking research into gender specific cancers, such as ovarian and prostate.
Our pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has saved millions of lives, and our doctors and scientists have contributed to 19 of the top 20 cancer drugs used to treat patients (men, women and children) today.OC
We regularly review our events to make them the best they can be. Four years ago, we seriously investigated the possibility of including men in Race for Life. However, our research shows that a significant number of our Race for Life supporters would strongly prefer to keep it a female-only event as it is a unique opportunity for women to come together in a non-competitive environment within an atmosphere of ‘sisterhood’.
We also undertook a commercial assessment of the event to look at the implications and potential uplift of including men. Results showed that the strength and success of Race for Life is dependent on its appeal to women and we would risk losing a significant amount of income for the charity’s lifesaving work if we changed it.
We have trialled 5k events for men in the past. Run for Moore in aid of the Bobby Moore Fund was a 5k series of events for men which in 2009 we took the difficult decision to cancel. Unfortunately there was insufficient interest from men to take part and to return their sponsorship money, making it difficult to justify investing in it any further.
We do not take the decision to cancel event series lightly, but decisions have to be primarily based on generating as much funds as possible so that we can continue to support our life-saving research. We have been working towards getting more men involved in fundraising for several years and are continuing to do so.
Our research indicates that most men prefer to take part in more challenging events and that 5k events were not challenging enough. With this in mind our Shine events, which are open to both men and women, offer supporters the chance to walk either a full or half marathon. We feel that these events provide our male supporters with a challenge they can strive towards .
We always encourage and actively support fundraisers who wish to organise their own event in aid of Cancer Research UK. Some of our male supporters have organised their own 5k running events such as Run for Men and the World Cup Men’s Run in aid of fundraising for Cancer Research UK. We are currently looking at how we can provide our supporters with the tools to create their own events.
Participants in Race for Life often enter in memory or support of both men and women, displaying their dedications on their back sign. The money raised from Race for Life events goes towards our life-saving work across all kinds of cancer, which affect both men and women. We are committed to beating cancer, regardless of the gender of the person affected. The majority of the research we carry out is into cancers that affect both sexes, but we also fund a range of ground breaking research into gender specific cancers, such as ovarian and prostate.
Our pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has saved millions of lives, and our doctors and scientists have contributed to 19 of the top 20 cancer drugs used to treat patients (men, women and children) today.OC
I don't think that answers Kov's question as business decisions can still be sexist.
Indeed. Myp's answer is the correct one.
Fair enough..
How does that differ from clubs that don't or did not allow women. Such as cricket clubs? (Honest question?)
How does that differ from clubs that don't or did not allow women. Such as cricket clubs? (Honest question?)
Sexism is an oppressive system. When one group hold an unbalanced amount of power over another, this is oppression. Society in the present and historically has been run largely by and for men. Some women have only been allowed to vote for 100 years.
You cannot look at one decision in a vacuum. You need to look at the texture of history and society in general. This goes for all forms of oppression.
You cannot look at one decision in a vacuum. You need to look at the texture of history and society in general. This goes for all forms of oppression.
clubs that ban men do so because men have the privilege and a tendency to abuse it. I assume the members of these clubs want separation and respite from what must be ever present oppression.
Clubs that ban women do so because the members want to continue to abuse their privilege.
I wouldn't be comfortable being a member of a club that excluded women but feel that clubs that exclude men are necessary to help redress the balance. Thinking about it will their be a point at which things have balanced out? Then real equality can start?
Clubs that ban women do so because the members want to continue to abuse their privilege.
I wouldn't be comfortable being a member of a club that excluded women but feel that clubs that exclude men are necessary to help redress the balance. Thinking about it will their be a point at which things have balanced out? Then real equality can start?
Exactly right, Wookie. I'm not sure if we'll see true gender equality in our lifetimes as there's still such a long way to go. We're going in the right direction though.
Wokeie, more like. Nahmean.
Well, I do pilot the millennial falcon.
KovacsC wrote:
Fair enough..
How does that differ from clubs that don't or did not allow women. Such as cricket clubs? (Honest question?)
How does that differ from clubs that don't or did not allow women. Such as cricket clubs? (Honest question?)
Are they really any places left still doing that? I thought even the worst of the London members clubs all let women in albeit not without a man accompany them in many cases?
asfish wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
Fair enough..
How does that differ from clubs that don't or did not allow women. Such as cricket clubs? (Honest question?)
How does that differ from clubs that don't or did not allow women. Such as cricket clubs? (Honest question?)
Are they really any places left still doing that? I thought even the worst of the London members clubs all let women in albeit not without a man accompany them in many cases?
So... Yes?
asfish wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
Fair enough..
How does that differ from clubs that don't or did not allow women. Such as cricket clubs? (Honest question?)
How does that differ from clubs that don't or did not allow women. Such as cricket clubs? (Honest question?)
Are they really any places left still doing that? I thought even the worst of the London members clubs all let women in albeit not without a man accompany them in many cases?
If they let men in without a woman then their policy is still sexist.
krazywookie wrote:
Well, I do pilot the millennial falcon.
Nice
Whether they're sexist or not, I do feel like that they could do more to raise money in this way, perhaps offer men-only events (or mixed ones) alongside their women-only events, either on the same day or on completely different days if their research shows that their target audience for the main races would not appreciate it.
GazChap wrote:
Whether they're sexist or not, I do feel like that they could do more to raise money in this way, perhaps offer men-only events (or mixed ones) alongside their women-only events, either on the same day or on completely different days if their research shows that their target audience for the main races would not appreciate it.
See asfish's post. There's no appetite for it. Men prefer to do longer races like half/marathons.
Lonewolves wrote:
See asfish's post. There's no appetite for it. Men prefer to do longer races like half/marathons.
So why not put on longer events?
GazChap wrote:
Lonewolves wrote:
See asfish's post. There's no appetite for it. Men prefer to do longer races like half/marathons.
So why not put on longer events?
Like the Shine, Run for Men and Men's Run World Cup events, you mean?
Don't read one post, it'll put your back out.
Lonewolves wrote:
Like the Shine
That's a walk, at least according to that post.
Lonewolves wrote:
Run for Men and Men's Run World Cup events
Put on by some of their supporters, i.e. not an officially sanctioned event.
Gazchap has something of a point in that Race for Life is the most successful marketing exercise in charity history. Due partly to that and partly to higher engagement from women than men, it's much, much more high profile than any of the equivalent men's events.
Equally, it's a women's event for a (primarily) women's illness. Men's events are typically for men's illnesses. It leaves little room for those wishing to show support for a loved one of the opposite gender.
Neither of these things make it sexist though.
Equally, it's a women's event for a (primarily) women's illness. Men's events are typically for men's illnesses. It leaves little room for those wishing to show support for a loved one of the opposite gender.
Neither of these things make it sexist though.
Cras wrote:
Equally, it's a women's event for a (primarily) women's illness. Men's events are typically for men's illnesses.
I used to think it was primarily about breast cancer, but I don't know if they've changed it recently. Now, their website says:
Quote:
Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is a series of women-only events raising money for research into all 200 types of cancer
Which to me, just makes the "no male events" stance even more illogical.
Sure, but the women only stance is part of what's given it such huge appeal.
It's sexist, but it's the good type of sexist, so that's ok.
The guidance for charities on the Equality Act explicitly calls out single-sex fundraising as OK, and the Race for Life as an example of it. Doesn't answer any grand moral or ethical questions, but the government is pretty down with it.
Cras wrote:
Equally, it's a women's event for a (primarily) women's illness. Men's events are typically for men's illnesses. It leaves little room for those wishing to show support for a loved one of the opposite gender.
Does it though? Blokes can volunteer to help on the day though, that's supporting too - or they could sponsor some ladies doing it.
Personally and in general, not responding to any one post in particular, I don't see the problem, there are heaps of fundraising events (maybe too many...?) and ways for people to support, participate, get involved or whatever. Is it sexist? Yeah, maybe a (teeny, tiny) touch; but who does it really hurt? no-one.
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