I'm not really a fan of the whole "we'll be intolerant so you know what it feels like" but it's also the only way I can really know what it feels like as a white man from a middle class family. I'm on the fence on this one.
They should just make it a small art exhibit out front, then 2 bathrooms, the mens is normal, with some basic art, but the women's bathroom has a bar and cocktail lounge and the extra amenities. Then the business wouldn't be excluding men, it would just be providing them a different experience in the bathroom which I feel like they'd have a much better time defending in court. But it also seems like this whole thing was done as a form of activism and it looks like one of the intents is for this business to close down so they can be martyrs.
I'm not really an artsy type person, more of a logical minded person, so it really wouldn't be something I would do. But as a logical thinker I'm good at coming up with creative logical solutions to puzzles. I'd be better as a consultant.
I think downvoters have forgotten the paradox of tolerance. That said, intolerance should be applied at the individual level (ie don't tolerate a nazi because they are a nazi), not by group (like the scenario this thread is about did).
The more interesting thing to me is... They were modeling a thing that was popular in the 60s, according to the article. It's an art display to protest something from 60+ years ago. A lot of the people who would go to such an exhibit weren't alive, and certainly weren't adults at the time.
There are surely problems that women face today but I don't see how this helps shine any light on that or does anything at all for it.
I mean, overwhelmingly people aren't racially discriminated against for being white so I'm not sure what it is you're trying to back up.
Sure it happens. The one that's closest to home for me in that list is Northern Ireland. White Catholics here were abused, but it was by white people so nothing to do with the colour of their skin. Honestly such a terrible example with absolutely no understanding for historical context.
I've spent non-trivial time in the Middle East. Sure I'm not at the same social class as Arabs there but I was sure fucking glad I wasn't brown.
China, wot? Yeah people stare at me but nobody was nasty. If anything I was a novelty.
White people in South Africa were gonna get what they were gonna get in a post apartheid world where they pillaged and oppressed until quite recently. That doesn't make it right but it makes it inevitable.
They're all very poorly thought out, edge case examples with the exception of Zimbabwe unless I'm missing others that I'm not aware of.
The Irish have been abused and degrqded by the British for Centuries. Still are, not nearly like they used to be, but its still there.
I know very well. I'm Irish. Pretty sure still have our own "and the Irish" section in British airports as a holdover from the troubles. The point I'm making is that it had nothing to do with being white and I haven't met any British people trying to abuse or degrade me for being Irish. My sister lives there and is married to an English man so I visit frequently.
China: I didn't experience any overt racism there because of the colour of my skin. We have derogatory words for basically everyone in English but it doesn't mean people use them. Hell, we call the British "Tans" if we're feeling belligerent towards them. "Paddy" has lost all meaning as a slur against the Irish.
Middle east: Sure. There I did experience it but it was incredibly mild and as I said I was very glad I wasn't brown.
Anyway, my main point was this:
overwhelmingly people aren’t racially discriminated against for being white
And I feel that it stands and yes there are exceptions but the historical weight of racism hasn't fallen on white people because of the colour of their skin.