According to the BBC, Universities UK has advised that gender segregated meetings may be permitted on campuses “if requested by speakers from orthodox religious groups”. Index on Censorship is concerned by this position.

Universities as places of learning and debate should be open to having speakers from all backgrounds and positions, but those speakers should not be able to define how to segregate the audience, or put restrictions on who is in the audience, because of their religious beliefs. If someone who is invited to speak at a university event, then they should not be able to demand gender segregation of the audience in line with their religious beliefs.

Rachael Jolley, editor of Index on Censorship magazine said:

“In the 19th century and before, there were numerous restrictions on people’s freedoms in the UK, because of the way they chose to practise religion. Religious minorities were not allowed to take certain jobs, or attend Oxford and Cambridge universities. Today we believe in a society where people are free to choose their religion, but we also believe in an equal society where men and women are allowed equal status and equal chances, and this should be at the heart of our universities and our democratic society.”

In the next issue of Index on Censorship magazine, we explore religion and offence and freedom in a special report.