MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Nathan Rao – “A CHILDREN’S play centre was at the centre of a sexism row last night after banning fathers from the premises to avoid offending Muslim women.

Kids Go Wild is Britain’s first toddler group to introduce a women-only policy. Managers defended the decision, claiming that Muslim mothers welcomed it for ‘cultural reasons’.

But it has angered both Muslims and non-Muslims and led the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate after dozens of fathers complained.

One father turned away from the centre branded the move ‘disgusting’ and ‘sexist’.

He said: ‘To turn me away because I’m a man is against the Equality Act.’

A poster outside the centre, in the predominantly Asian [Muslim] area of Sparkhill, Birmingham, reads: ‘Ladies and children only. No boys over nine allowed.’ The newly-formed group advertises itself as ‘the UK’s first ladies and children’s only soft play centre’.

Muslim mother-of-one Ruksana Ayub said: ‘I understand why women would want a place like this where there are no men. They won’t feel they have to cover up so they might feel more able to relax and to socialise. But I’m quite modern in my outlook, so I also find it quite shocking that men aren’t allowed in. It’s a shame for kids who don’t have a mum.'” Read more.