On the 9th March professor Lawrence Krauss was invited to take part in a debate at University College London with the topic "Islam or Atheism: Which Makes More Sense?".
Professor Krauss became aware of the audience being segregated on the basis of gender before the debate began and announced that he would withdraw from the event unless it was corrrected immediately. The seating was opened up to all and the deabate went ahead. A few weeks later the UCL later banned the group that orgainsed the event, The Islamic Education and Research Academy.
Now the body known as Universities UK has issued guidance saying universities could segregate by gender during talks from external speakers. Their position has led to protests by students and human rights activists.
Please have a read at the item at Channel 4 News, and in particular this muddled-headed piece of political correctness from the UUK report..
"Assuming the side-by-side segregated seating arrangement is adopted, there does not appear to be any discrimination on gender grounds merely by imposing segregated seating. Both men and women are being treated equally, as they are both being segregated in the same way."
But it goes on to say that if side-by-side seating was enforced without offering an alternative non-segregated seating area, it could be deemed as discriminatory against men or women who hold feminist beliefs.
It adds: "Concerns to accommodate the wishes or beliefs of those opposed to segregation should not result in a religious group being prevented from having a debate in accordance with its belief system.
"Ultimately, if imposing an unsegregated seating area in addition to the segregated areas contravenes the genuinely held religious beliefs of the group hosting the event, or those of the speaker, the institution should be mindful to ensure that the freedom of speech of the religious group or speaker is not curtailed unlawfully."
So if your discriminatory beliefs are "genuinely held" that aparently makes it acceptable.
Personally I would have issued a simpler report - "Sit together like normal people, and if that is a problem don't attend university".